if-  !i!l!  It  I 


If 


MAIM  L.1SRARY-AGRICULTURE 


i&ural  Science  Series 

EDITED  BY  L.  H.  BAILEY 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


Eurai  Science  Series 

EDITED  BY  L.  H.  BAILEY 

THE  SOIL.     King. 

THE  SPRAYING  OF  PLANTS.     Lodeman. 

MILK  AND  ITS  PRODUCTS.    Wing.   Enlarged  and  Revised. 

THE  FERTILITY  OF  THE  LAND.     Roberts. 

THE     PRINCIPLES    OF    FRUIT-GROWING.     Bailey.     20th 

Edition,  Revised. 
BUSH-FRUITS.     Card.     Revised. 
FERTILIZERS.     Voorhees.     Revised. 
THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  AGRICULTURE.    Bailey.     Revised. 
IRRIGATION  AND  DRAINAGE.     King. 
THE  FARMSTEAD.     Roberts. 
RURAL  WEALTH  AND  WELFARE.     Fairchild. 
THE  PRINCIPLES  OF  VEGETABLE-GARDENING.   Bailey. 
FARM  POULTRY.    Watson.    Enlarged  and  Revised. 
THE   FEEDING   OF   ANIMALS.      Jordan.       (Now  Rural 

Text-Book  Series.     Revised.) 
THE  FARMER'S  BUSINESS  HANDBOOK.     Roberts. 
THE  DISEASES  OF  ANIMALS.     Mayo. 
THE  HORSE.     Roberts. 
How  TO  CHOOSE  A  FARM.     Hunt. 
FORAGE  CROPS.     Voorhees.  . 

BACTERIA  IN  RELATION  TO  COUNTRY  LIFE.     Lipman. 
THE    NURSERY-BOOK.      Bailey.      (Now    Rural    Manual 

Series.) 

PLANT-BREEDING.     Bailey  and  Gilbert.     Revised. 
THE  FORCING-BOOK.     Bailey. 

THE  PRUNING-BOOK.  Bailey.  (Now  Rural  Manual  Series.) 
FRUIT-GROWING  IN  ARID  REGIONS.  Paddock  and  Whipple. 
RURAL  HYGIENE.     Ogden. 
DRY-FARMING.     Widtsoe. 
LAW  FOR  THE  AMERICAN  FARMER.     Green. 
FARM  BOYS  AND  GIRLS.     McKeever. 
THE  TRAINING  AND  BREAKING  OF  HORSES.     Harper. 
SHEEP-FARMING  IN  NORTH  AMERICA.     Craig. 
COOPERATION  IN  AGRICULTURE.     Powell. 
THE  FARM  WOODLOT.     Cheyney  and  Wentling. 
HOUSEHOLD  INSECTS.     Herrick. 
CITRUS  FRUITS.     Coit. 

PRINCIPLES  OF  RURAL  CREDITS.     Morman. 
BEEKEEPING.     Phillips. 

SUBTROPICAL  VEGETABLE-GARDENING.     Rolfs. 
TURF  FOR  GOLF  COURSES.     Piper  and  Oakley. 
THE  POTATO.     Gilbert. 
STRAWBERRY-GROWING.     Fletcher. 
WESTERN  LIVE-STOCK  MANAGEMENT.     Potter. 
PEACH-GROWING.     Gould. 
THE  SUGAR-BEET  IN  AMERICA.     Harris. 
PORK-PRODUCTION.     Smith. 
LANDSCAPE-GARDENING.     Simonds. 
COMMERCIAL    APPLE    INDUSTRY   OF    NORTH    AMERICA. 

Folger  and  Thomson. 
THE  SWEET  POTATO.     Hand  and  Cockerham. 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


BY 
O.    C.    SIMONDS 


Nefo  gorfe 
THE    MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

1920 

All  rights  reserved 


COPYRIGHT,  1920, 
BY  THE    MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 

Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  October,  1920 


MAIN  LIBRARY-AGRICULTURE  DEPT. 


•"• 
j 


DEDICATED   TO   THE   MEMORY   OF 

BRYAN  LATHROP 

TO  WHOM  ALL  FINE  ARTS   MADE  A   STRONG  APPEAL 

AND   WHOSE   INFLUENCE   HAS   BEEN  FELT  IN 

EACH    PAGE     OF    THIS     VOLUME     AND 

IN     ALL     THE      PROFESSIONAL 

WORK  OF  THE  AUTHOR 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 

PAGES 

THE  AIMS  OF  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING        ....  1-25 

The  art  expression 19-25 

CHAPTER   II 

THE  SAVING  OF  NATURAL  FEATURES  AND  RESOURCES       .  26-39 

Each  for  all    .                                                                        .  29-39 

CHAPTER   III 

LAND                     ,                                                   ...  40-45 

CHAPTER   IV 

PLANTING  MATERIALS  .                                  ....  46-57 

Trees      ...                                    ....  47-50 

Shrubs 50-53 

Vines     ....  53~55 

Herbaceous  flowering  plants  ...                           .  55~56 

Ferns     ....  56-57 

Mosses  and  lichens  57 

CHAPTER  V 

ARRANGEMENT  OF  PLANTING  58~67 

CHAPTER  VI 

How  TO  PLANT   .        .  68-83 

Planting  medium-sized  trees  .  70-72 

Planting  large  trees 72-76 


Vlll 


CONTENTS 


Planting  bushes  and  herbaceous  subjects 
Care  of  plant  materials  .         .         . 


WATER 

Marshes 
Springs  . 
Streams 
Lakes 


CHAPTER  VII 


PAGES 
76-78 
78-83 

5 


84-117 
84-86 
86-88 

88-104 
104-117 


CHAPTER  VIII 


HOME  GROUNDS  . 

Walks  and  drives  . 

Garages 

Service  yards 

Front  yards   . 

Flower-gardens 

Vegetable-gardens 

Terraces 

Hedges  . 

House  surroundings 

Woods   . 


118-169 
124-138 
138-140 
140-141 
I4I-I53 
153-157 
157-158 
159-161 
161 

161-162 
162-169 


CHAPTER  IX 

FARMS  ....... 

The  farm  forest      .... 

The  farm  orchard  and  other  features 


170-184 
176-182 
182-184 


CHAPTER  X 
LANDSCAPE-GARDENING  FOR  ARID  AND  SEMI-ARID  REGIONS   185-191 


CHAPTER   XI 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES 
The  hillside  road   . 


192-223 
199-206 


CONTENTS 


IX 


The  river  road 
The  prairie  road 
City  streets    . 
Bill-boards 


PAGES 

206-211 
211-217 

217-222 
223 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  GROUNDS  OF  RAILWAY  STATIONS  AND  RIGHTS  OF  WAY 


224-231 


CHAPTER  XIII 

PARKS,  FOREST  PRESERVES,  CITY  SQUARES 

Planning  a  park 

Grounds  for  games  or  recreation    . 

Other  purposes  of  a  park 

The  park  commission     .... 

Forest  preserves     .         .         . 

City  squares  and  triangles 

Country  parks 

Township  parks      ..... 
County  parks          ..... 
State  parks    .... 
National  parks 


232-262 
237-242 
242-246 
247-248 
248-250 
250-253 
253-256 
256-257 
257-258 
258-260 
260-261 
261-262 


GOLF  GROUNDS    . 


CHAPTER  XIV 


263-272 


SCHOOL  GROUNDS 
In  the  country 
In  cities 


CHAPTER  XV 


273-280 
273-278 
278-280 


CHAPTER  XVI 

ARBORETUMS  AND  BOTANIC  GARDENS 

Botanic  gardens 


281-289 
286-289 


CONTENTS 
CHAPTER  XVII 


PAGES 


CEMETERIES          , ••-     .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .  290-309 

Subdivisions,  walks  and  drives       ...                  .  293-296 

Buildings  and  planting  .......  297-299 

Rules  for  maintaining  cemeteries  ...                  .  301-307 

Country  cemeteries        .         .         .         .         .         ,         .  307-309 

CHAPTER   XVIII 

CITY  AND  REGIONAL  PLANNING 310-320 

APPENDIX 
A  PLEA  FOR  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING  .        .        .       ..        .321-325 

PARKS  AND  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING.  .....  325-331 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

CHAPTER  I 

» 

THE  AIMS  OF  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

THE  purpose  of  this  book  is  to  help  make  our 
country  more  beautiful.  "Our  country"  refers  es- 
pecially to  the  United  States,  although  in  prepar-*- 
ing  the  text  the  author  has  also  had  in  mind  all 
those  parts  of  Canada  in  which  climatic  conditions, 
general  appearance,  and  habits  of  thought  are  simi- 
lar to  our  own,  and  he  further  acknowledges  a  sym- 
pathy with  Thomas  Paine's  statement,  "The  world 
is  my  country."  One's  country  includes  all  indi- 
vidual homes  and  the  thoroughfares  that  make 
them  accessible,  all  public  grounds  such  as  city 
squares,  school  and  church  yards,  parks,  ceme- 
teries, railroad  rights  of  way,  golf  courses,  national 
monuments,  parks  and  forests,  all  streams  and 
lakes,  all  shores  and  all  land  upon  which  one 
may  walk  without  feeling  that  he  is  trespassing.  It 
includes  the  atmosphere,  with  its  rain  and  sunshine, 


its  fogs  and  clouds,  its  hail  and  snow,  its  storms  and 
calms.  It  comprises  night  and  day  and  all  the 
seasons.  It  includes  the  rocks,  and  all  material  and 
living  things  within  its  boundaries.  t^u-hL 

-  Why  seek  to  make  the  country  beautiful  ?  To 
many  persons  this  question  and  its  answer  may  seem 
unnecessary,  the  love  of  the  beautiful  is  so  nearly 
universal.  To  say  that  anything  looks  well  usually 
secures  its  adoption  or  approval.  Still,  there  are 
some  persons  who  seem  to  be  indifferent  to  appear- 
ances, and  for  them  a  few  thoughts  may  be  helpful. 
Nature,  from  the  greatest  snow-covered  mountains 
and  broadest  seas  to  the  tiniest  pollen-grain  or 
smallest  of  spores,  is  beautiful  and  perfect.  Happi- 
ness  comes  in  largest  measure  to  those  who  live  in 
closest  harmony  with  nature.  It  has  been  said  that 
beauty  pays,  and  this  is  undoubtedly  true.  A  farm 
that  looks  well,  other  conditions  being  equal,  will 
sell  for  more  than  one  that  appears  bare  and  ugly 
or  slovenly.  A  beautiful  horse  or  cow,  or  an  at- 
tractive dish  or  tool,  will  bring  the  highest  price. 
But  if  one  thinks  of  dollars  and  cents  only,  one  does 
not  get  the  full  meaning  of  the  word  "pays." 
Beauty  pays  by  giving  pleasure  to  those  who  see 
it.  One  can  help  to  make  one's  country  more 


THE  AIMS  OF   LANDSCAPE-GARDENING     3 

beautiful  by  making  its  home  grounds,  its  road- 
sides, its  river  banks,  its  parks,  intrinsically  better 
in  appearance  and  by  opening  the  eyes  of  those 
who  fail  to  see  such  beauty  as  already  exists. 

The  art  that  accomplishes  this  has  usually  been 
called  landscape-gardening,  and  is  the  youngest^of 
the  arts.  It  was  given  a  special  impetus  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  and  the  first  part 
of  the  nineteenth  centuries.  To  be  sure,  beautiful 
gardens  and  landscapes  have  existed  since  the  time 
of  the  Garden  of  Eden,  but  the  desire  to  create 
beautiful  scenery  and  to  treat  its  creation  in  a  pro- 
fessional way  first  appeared  in  Europe  at  a  com- 
paratively recent  date.  It  was  the  result  of  the 
effort  to  improve  and  organize  the  landscape.  Rep- 
ton,  in  the  introduction  to  his  "Sketches  and  Hints 
on  Landscape  Gardening,"  published  in  1795,  said, 
"I  have  adopted  the  term  Landscape  Gardening, 
as  most  proper,  because  the  art  can  only  be  advanced 
and  perfected  by  the  united  powers  of  the  land- 
vscape  painter  and  the  practical  gardener." 

The  powers  of  the  practical  gardener  are  such  as 
are  common  in  all  agricultural  pursuits,  and  presup- 
pose some  knowledge  of  soils,  fertilizers,  tillage, 
planting,  spraying,  and  the  care  of  plants  in  general. 


4  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  power  of  the  landscape  painter  as  applied  to 
pictures  formed  by  real  objects,  to  the  creation  of 
landscapes,  to  the  study,  appreciation,  and  develop- 
ment of  beautiful  scenery  is  the  distinguishing  feature 
of  the  art  now  under  consideration.  What  power 
has  the  landscape  painter  ?  He  depicts  scenery 
upon  canvas.  One  looks  at  his  productions  and 
realizes  the  warmth  of  spring  sunshine  in  a  valley, 
the  majesty  of  a  mountain,  the  force  of  the  ocean, 
the  beauty  of  the  pink  glow  of  evening  on  the  snow, 
the  charm  of  woods,  running  streams,  water  margins, 
and  open  glades.  One  almost  feels  the  wind,  the 
warmth  of  a  summer  evening,  the  cool  atmosphere 
of  the  morning,  the  dampness  of  a  rainy  day,  or  the 
cold  but  delightful  beauty  of  winter.  How  does  the 
painter  get  this  power  ?  He  learns  how  to  draw  and 
how  to  use  pencils,  charcoal,  crayons,  water-colors, 
oils,  and  pigments  in  the  schools,  but  his  chief  in- 
spiration, the  source  of  his  real  power,  comes  from  the 
out-of-doors.  He  looks  abroad  over  the  land,  his 
range  of  vision  stretching  away  on  nearly  horizontal 
lines  to  distant  points.  His  canvas  rests  upon  the 
easel  in  a  nearly  vertical  position  so  that  he  can 
glance  easily  from  the  object  he  is  depicting  to  the 
representation  of  that  object  (Fig.  i). 


THE  AIMS  OF  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING     5 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  landscape-gardener  works  in  the  same  way. 
studies  the  out-of-doors.  He  looks  at  nature 
on  lines  usually  varying  but  a  few  degrees  from  the 
horizontal.  He  notes  the  sky  lines,  the  masses  of  foli- 
age, the  lights  and  shadows,  the  varying  colors  and 
shapes  of  leaves  and  flowers,  the  lay  of  the  land,  the 
reflections  in  water.  £Te  learns  the  things  that  make 
a  view  pleasing,  and  then  when  he  grades  lands, 
plants  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers,  introduces  water, 
rocks,  or  other  objects,  he  makes  use  of  the  pleasing 
effects  he  has  learned  to  produce  pleasing  scenery 
appropriate  to  the  situation  and  the  locality.  His 
canvas,  the  background  for  his  work,  is  the  sky. 
Against  this  he  may  see  the  earth  itself,  the  ocean, 
mountains,  hills,  prairies,  or  forests.  Against  this 
canvas  he  plants  trees  and  other^gbjects  to  form  a 
pleasing  composition,  a  picture  if  you  will,  and  if 
he  is  wise  and  has  the  opportunity  he  will  leave  a 
generous  open  space  on  his  canvas  for  nature  to  fill  in 
with  clouds  and  sunshine,  with  stars  and  moonlight. 

Nature  indeed  is  a  most  helpful  and  willing  partner 
in  all  the  real  work  of  a  landscape-gardener,  and  also 
his  best  teacher.  She  teaches  other  artists  as  well, 
but  for  the  one  who  tries  to  help  her  in  beautifying 
the  earth  or  in  keeping  it  beautiful,  she  produces 


THE  AIMS  OF  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING    7 

an  infinite  variety  of  plant  growth  and  plant-food ; 
she  brings  rain  and  warmth  and  sunshine ;  she 
provides  air  to  breathe  and  a  stimulating  compan- 
ionship to  encourage  growth  and  beauty ;  and  she 
spreads  a  protecting  blanket  in  winter. 

The  painter  completes  his  painting  in  a  few  hours 
or  days.  It  may  then  remain  for  years  just  as  left 
by  his  finishing  touches.  The  landscape-gardener, 
on  the  other  hand,  must  wait  years  for  the  picture 
he  conceives  to  develop  fully.  His  conception  of  the 
effect  he  wishes  to  produce  may  be  the  result  of  min- 
utes or  days  of  study.  It  is  gained  as  quickly  as 
the  painter's  idea  of  his  composition,  and  the  time 
required  for  recording  his  conception  on  paper  is 
comparatively  brief.  Sometimes  the  scheme  he  has 
in  mind  will  be  worked  out  directly  on  the  ground 
without  the  use  of  drawings.  The  result  he  is 
after  is  out-doors,  and  as  it  is  usually  produced  by 
living  things --trees,  shrubs,  flowers,  grass,  and 
various  ground-covering  plants --which  necessarily 
change,  it  becomes  a  moving  picture.  In  other 
words,  this  efforts  result  in  a  series  of  pictures  or 
effects  resembling  each  other  but  gradually  ap- 
proaching his  ideal.  His  skill  will  depend  first  on 
this  ideal,  on  his  ability  to  form  a  satisfactory 


8  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

composition,  to  imagine  a  view  with  lights  and 
shades  in  proper  relations  to  each  other,  with  har- 
monious outlines  and  colors —  in  short,  on  his~a£Lpr_£- 
ciation  of  beauty ;  and  next  on  his  success  in  grading, 
selecting  materials,  planting,  outlining  open  areas, 
lakes,  woods,  groups  of  trees  and  shrubs,  the  selec- 
tion and  placing  of  herbaceous  plants,  and  in*  his 
treatment  of  water,  rocks,  buildings,  and  other 
objects  that  may  appear  against  his  canvas. 

**•*  Certain  rules  should  govern  his  work.  There 
should  be  unity.  This  means  that  from  a  given 
point  looking  in  one  direction  there  should  be  one 
picture  and  in  this  picture  some  special  feature 
should  predominate.  The  rule  of  unity  is  violated 
when,  in  looking  out  of  a  window,  one  sees  two 
vistas,  two  or  more  dominating  trees,  two  lakes,  two 
valleys,  two  hills  or  two  mountains  of  equal  impor- 
tance. It  is  violated  when  a  garden  with  bright 
colored  flowers,  pergolas  and  seats  is  made  to  com- 
pete with  a  view  of  the  ocean.  There  may  indeed 

'•-be  flowers  in  the  ocean  view,  but  they  should  be 
incidental,  like  clover  blossoms  in  a  meadow,  the 
blossoms  of  apple  trees,  lilacs  or  locusts.  Green 
foliage,  rocks  and  trees  may  enhance  the  ocean  view, 
helping  to  frame  it  or  at  least  not  competing  with 


THE  AIMS   OF   LANDSCAPE-GARDENING    9 

what  should  be  the  main  feature  of  the  picture. 
What  is  true  of  an  ocean  view  would  be  true  of  a 
mountain  view  (Fig.  2)  or  of  a  picture  in  which  a 
valley  or  lake,  a  lawn,  a  house,  the  prairie,  a  distant 
city,  or  a  church  spire  formed  the  dominating  feature 


FIG.  2.  —  SUFFICIENT  UNTO  ITSELF.  It  would  be  unwise  to  have  an  artificial 
flower-garden  or  any  other  artificial  feature  compete  with  a  view  like 
this. 


(Fig.  3).  There  may  be  several  pictures  seen  from 
one  point,  if  they  are  in  different  directions,  but 
they  should  usually  be  separated  from  each  other  by 
some  object  such  as  a  tree,  a  bit  of  woods,  or  a  mass 
of  shrubs. 

In  landscape  work  the  fact  that  the  point  of  view 


IO 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


can  easily  be  changed  must  be  constantly  borne  in 
mind.  It  may  be  a  window,  a  veranda,  a  seat  under 
a  tree  or  in  a  boat,  any  point  along  a  walk  or  drive, 


FIG.  3.  —  THE  POINT  OF  INTEREST.  What  is  true  of  an  ocean  view 
in  regard  to  unity  would  be  true  of  a  picture  in  which  ...  a 
church  spire  formed  the  dominating  feature. 

or  any  position  one  may  be  in  while  strolling  about 
the  grounds.  The  landscape-gardener,  therefore, 
designs  a  great  number  of  landscapes  in  one  piece  of 


THE  AIMS   OF   LANDSCAPE-GARDENING     u 

work,  in  all  of  which  the  rule  of  unity  as  well  as  the 
other  rules  to  be  mentioned  will  have  a  guiding  in- 
fluence. These  rules  also  govern  in  pictures  that 
are  painted,  in  music,  architecture,  sculpture,  and 


FIG.  4.  —  A  LAKE  SCENE  IN  SCOTLAND.  The  island  and  the  mountain  are  too 
nearly  equal  in  value.  If  the  island  were  shown  much  smaller  in  relation 
to  the  mountain  the  composition  would  be  better. 

t^ 

literature.  There  should  be  balance^  (Fig.  5),  but 
this  does  not  mean  that  one  side  of  a  view  should  be 
just  like  the  other.  A  tree  may  be  balanced  by  a 
shrub,  a  rock  by  a  building,  a  mass  of  flowers  by  a 
single  blossom.  A  judicious  arrangement  of  light 


12 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


FIG.  5.  —  A  ROCKY  PRECIPICE  BALANCED  BY  A  TREE.     A  landscape-gardener 
is  indeed  fortunate  if  he  can  appropriate  a  scene  like  this. 


THE   AIMS   OF   LANDSCAPE-GARDENING     13 

and  shade  is  desirable.  In  a  well-designed  land- 
scape there  should  be  harmony  of  shapes,  sizes  and 
colors.  A  plant  with  foliage  like  the  yucca  would 
not  be  pleasing  next  to  a  maiden-hair  fern.  The 
leaves  of  pieplant  do  not  harmonize  with  those  of 
the  rose.  Magenta  flowers  do  not  go  well  with 
scarlet.  A  certain  amount  of  contrast  and  variety 
give  life  to  a  landscape  but  if  used  to  excess  they 
may  deprive  it  of  repose.  Repetition  in  landscapes 
as  in  painting  tends  to  make  a  scene  restful.  «•"•• 
Thus  all  the  rules  of  composition  that  are  a£- 
plicable  to  paintings  apply  also  to  landscapes  de- 
signed or  appropriated  by  landscape-gardeners. 
A  painter  sometimes  speaks  of  the  "  heaven-born 
ratio  of  three  to  two,"  meaning  that  the  focal  point, 
the  point  to  which  the  eye  continually  reverts, 
should  be  three  units  from  one  side  and  two  from 
the  other  side  of  the  canvas,  and  the  same  ratio 
from  the  top  and  bottom,  instead  of  being  in  the 
center.  The  same  ratio  serves  well  in  design- 
ing an  actual  landscape,  since  a  tree  or  other  sub- 
ject placed  directly  in  the  center  usually  looks  badly 
(Fig.  6).  The  interest  in  any  view  is  increased  by 
an  arrangement  which  piques  one's  curiosity.  In 
illustration  of  this,  think  of  woods  into  which  one 


14  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

gets  glimpses  leading  to  unknown  depths,  bays  of 
lakes  disappearing  behind  islands  or  promontories, 


FIG.  6.  —  A  GLIMPSE  THROUGH  THE  WOODS.  Compare 
this  with  any  picture  in  which  a  tree  occupies  the 
center. 

lawns  partly  hidden  by  projecting  groups  of  shrubs, 
These  give  possible  opportunities   for  making   dis- 


THE  AIMS   OF   LANDSCAPE-GARDENING     15 

coveries,  and  such  opportunities  compete  with  va- 
riety in  giving  spice  to  life.  The  shape  of  a  tree, 
the  graceful  or  strong  arrangement  of  its  branches, 
the  outlines  and  texture  of  its  leaves,  the  color  and 
forms  of  flowers,  the  curves  of  the  earth's  surface, 
the  reflections  in  water  —  are  all  objects  of  interest 
and  beauty,  but  beyond  all  these  in  making  a  view 
interesting  are  the  elements  of  curiosity  and  mys- 
tery. 

While  landscape-gardening  is  more  nearly  al- 
lied to  painting  than  to  any  other  fine  art,  in  some 
ways  it  more  nearly  resembles  architecture.  These 
are  the  utilities.  Architecture  is  concerned  with 
many  matters  not  particularly  connected  with  beauty. 
These  are  for  the  comfort,  safety  and  use  of  those 
occupying  buildings.  In  like  manner,  landscape- 
gardening  is  concerned  with  walks,  drives,  gardens, 
fences,  location  of  buildings,  and  other  features 
having  to  do  with  the  comfort,  convenience,  and 
use  of  mankind.  There  is  a  similarity  also  in  the 
professional  methods  of  landscape-gardeners  and 
architects. 

The  grading  of  surfaces,  which  is  an  important 
part  of  the  landscape-gardener's  work,  is  not  un- 
like the  work  of  sculptors,  while  the  planting  ma- 


16  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

terial  he  uses  makes  an  appeal  to  the  senses  of  smell, 
taste,  and  feeling  not  made  by  the  other  fine  arts. 
In  illustration  of  this  appeal,  think  of  the  smell  of 
the  rose,  the  woods,  the  meadows,  the  sweetbriers, 
the  hundreds  of  flowers  of  the  old-fashioned  gar- 
den, the  taste  of  fruits,  sassafras  and  all  the  prod- 
ucts of  vegetation,  the  feel  of  a  mullein  leaf,  the 
bark  of  trees,  the  velvety  lawn,  the  polished  sur- 
faces of  cherries,  the  breeze  from  the  sea,  the  water 
in  the  swimming  pool,  the  snow  and  ice  of  winter. 
•»  Landscape-gardening,  more  than  any  other  art, 
makes  use  of  the  natural  sciences.  Geology,  bot- 
any, and  chemistry  are  of  special  importance,  and 
there  is  hardly  any  line  of  study  that  will  not  make 
the  landscape-gardener  better  equipped  for  the 
work  he  has  in  hand  and  better  able  to  meet  and 
discuss  with  his  clients  the  many  subjects  that  go 
with  the  development  of  land.  Even  if  one  should-^ 
not  intend  to  take  up  landscape  work  as  a  pro- 
fession, there  are  few  subjects  the  study  of  which 
will  do  more  for  one's  general  culture.  An  appre- 
ciation~oF~atfractive  scenery  will  add  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  life,  the  pleasure  of  reading  and  to  one's 
interest  in  the  history  of  the  world.  The  Japanese 
have  professors  of  the  arrangement  of  flowers  and 


THE  AIMS  OF  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING    17 

this  subject  is  taught  in  their  colleges.  The  study 
of  landscape,  embracing,  as  it  does,  all  that  one  sees 
out-of-doors,  is  one  of  the  broadest  of  subjects. 
It  is  far  more  important  as  a  fine  art  than  paint- 
ing, sculpture,  architecture,  flower  arrangement 
and  gardening,  since  it  includes  in  a  general  way 
all  of  these,  and  its  principles  are  those  of  all  the 
other  arts. 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  the  landscape-gardener 
works  with  his  imagination.  This  is  true  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree  of  other  men,  but,  for  the 
landscape-gardener  it  is  preeminently  so.  He 
must  be  a  dreamer,  a  designer,  an  inventor,  a  cre- 
ator, —  a  dreamer  more  than  most  designers  be- 
cause it  may  take  years  for  his  designs  to  develop. 
He  not  only  dreams  but  he  creates,  working  with 
land,  plants,  water,  rocks,  buildings,  roads,  and 
bridges.  He  puts  two  and  two  together,  joining 
the  work  of  the  architect  or  engineer  with  that  of 
nature.  His  aim  is  to  produce  beautiful  outdoor 
scenery,  the  scenery  that  includes  all  one  sees 
whenever  he  walks  or  rides  through  country  or  city. 
He  is  often  called  a  "  landscape  architect,"  but 
architect  implies  building,  working  with  lumber, 
bricks,  stone,  mortar,  glass,  metals,  in  short,  ma- 


1 8  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

terials  that  are  for  the  most  part  rigid  and  fixed. 
The  work  of  the  landscape-gardener  is  largely  with 
things  that  are  alive,  growing,  changing.  As  Bryan 
Lathrop  has  said,  "It  is  not  the  name  so  much  as 
the  idea  behind  it  which  is  objectionable."  To  use 
the  word  "architect"  tends  to  take  away  that  free- 
dom and  gracefulness  that  should  go  with  the 
development  of  beautiful  landscapes.  The  term 
"landscape  engineer,"  which  has  also  been  used, 
is  even  more  objectionable  than  "landscape  archi- 
tect," since  engineering  is  not  a  fine  art,  and,  while 
the  products  of  engineering  may  and  ought  to  be 
beautiful,  its  aim  is  strength  rather  than  beauty. 
"Landscape  designer"  is  not  so  objectionable, 
since  it  indicates  the  character  of  the  work  under- 
taken by  the  man  to  whom  it  is  applied. 

A  "landscape-gardener"  is  one  who  may  be 
thought  of  as  trying  to  produce  a  Garden  of  Eden, 
a  garden  which  is  purely  imaginary  but  is  thought 
of  as  the  work  of  a  Power  greater  than  man  and 
more  beautiful  than  anything  the  present  genera- 
tion has  seen.  The  aim  of  the  landscape-gar- 
dener is  high,  and  this  term,  while  not  free  from  ob- 
jections, conveys  the  correct  idea. 

All    of   the    various    terms    employed    are   objec- 


THE  AIMS  OF  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING     19 

tionable  because  each  contains  two  words. 
"Landscape"  is  common  to  all,  and  if  but  one  word 
were  to  be  used,  "landscaper"  would  seem  to  be 
the  most  appropriate.  It  would  be  used  just  as 
is  "painter."  The  "landscaper"  would  landscape 
a  tract  of  land,  a  park  or  a  home.  His  work  would 
be  "landscaping,"  and  when  finished,  the  tract  of 
land  on  which  he  had  worked  would  be  "land- 
scaped." 

The  term  used  in  this  volume  is  the  one  that  has 
been  generally  adopted  by  those  who  have  written 
on  the  subject  of  which  it  treats,  among  whom  the 
name  of  A.  J.  Downing  stands  prominently,  be- 
cause the  wide  influence  of  his  writings  entitles 
him  to  the  distinction  of  being  considered  the 
father  of  landscape-gardening  in  this  country. 

In  the  following  pages  the  materials  employed 
in  this  art  and  some  of  the  general  principles  of 
the  art  will  first  be  considered ;  and  then  the  prin- 
ciples will  be  applied  to  the  treatment  of  special 
cases. 

THE    ART    EXPRESSION 

The  beginning  of  every  fine  art  is  hidden  in  ob- 
scurity. It  has  been  gradually  developed  until 


20  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

it  attained  a  great  degree  of  perfection.  It  may 
be  surmised  that  there  was  a  time  when  men  and 
women  could  not  sing,  and  when  there  were  no 
musical  instruments.  Probably  the  earliest  repre- 
sentatives of  the  human  race  could  utter  pleas- 
ing sounds,  but  it  must  have  taken  a  long  time  to 
develop  tunes,  to  learn  the  harmony  of  music, 
and  ages  to  perfect  such  instruments  as  the  violin, 
the  clarinet,  the  organ,  and  the  piano.  The  de- 
votion to  music  was  such,  however,  that  this  fine 
art  became  part  of  the  life  of  every  civilized  nation. 
Music  is  needed  at  most  social  gatherings  and  at 
nearly  all  religious  exercises.  It  is  necessary  in 
war  and  in  peace.  It  is  capable  of  ^rritin^  ^TTI^ 
tions.  of  patriotism,  of  [OY*  and  of  sadness.  It  forms 
not  only  a  part  of  the  life  of  a  nation,  but  domi- 
nates, to  some  extent,  the  lives  of  many  individuals 
and  families. 

The  development  of  sculpture  doubtless  began 
in  rude  attempts,  like  those  seen  today  among 
some  savage  tribes,  and  continued  with  the  progress 
in  civilization  until  it  culminated  in  Greece  more 
than  two  thousand  years  ago.  While  this  fine  art 
does  not  make  so  universal  an  appeal  as  does  music, 
it  nevertheless  exerts  a  powerful  influence. 


THE. AIMS  OF  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING    21 

The  different  styles  of  architecture  have  cul- 
minated at  various  periods,  but  each,  during  its 
development,  has  been  understood  and  appre- 
ciated by  all  classes  of  persons  and  has  really  formed 
part  of  the  life  of  the  nation  or  nations  where  it 
came  to  its  greatest  perfection. 

Poetry  and  the  art  of  verbal  expression  kept  pace 
with  music,  sculpture,  and  architecture,  and  at 
present  no  art  exerts  a  greater  influence.  One 
can  scarcely  imagine  a  civilization  without  books. 
Literature,  indeed,  lies  at  the  foundation  of  modern 
life. 

Painting  and  the  graphic  arts  reached  the  high- 
est development  they  have  attained  somewhat  later 
than  the  arts  that  have  just  been  named.  The 
development  of  the  fine  art  of  making  pictures,  in 
so  far  as  they  represent  landscapes,  is  compara- 
tively recent.  Such  pictures  now  form  an  impor- 
tant part  of  the  paintings  seen  in  art  galleries, 
public  buildings,  and  residences.  They  appear 
abundantly  among  the  illustrations  of  books  and 
periodicals. 

Landscape-gardening  is  now  in  the  process  of 
development.  One  or  two  generations  ago  there 
were  less  than  a  half  dozen  firms  following  this  pro- 


22  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

fession  in  the  United  States.  Even  now,  but  a 
small  percentage  of  all  the  people  know  that  there 
is  such  a  profession,  and  of  those  who  have  heard 
of  it  only  a  few  know  what  it  really  is.  Before 
it  reaches  its  full  development,  it  also  must  become 
a  part  of  the  life  of  the  people. 

If,  as  stated  above,  this  art  of  landscape-garden- 
ing is  growing,  what  will  be  its  final  attainment  ? 
:  What  will  it  do  for  the  people  ? 

If  properly  guided  in  its  growth,  it  will  teach  them 
to  see  the  beauty  of  nature,  the  beauty  of  this  world, 
of  which  many  are  now  as  ignorant  as  the  ten-year- 
old  boy  was  of  the  beauty  of  sunsets  before  his 
attention  was  called  to  them. 

It  will  bring  about  a  different  spirit  with  regard 
to  beauty  wherever  seen.  There  are  many  who 
regard  anything  which  is  beyond  or  outside  of 
what  is  generally  called  "practical"  as  something 
foolish,  wasteful,  and  effeminate,  not  realizing 
that  it  is  the  beautiful  which  makes  life  worth 
living. 

It  will  open  the  eyes  of  farmers  and  their  families 
to  the  beauty  that  is  always  around  them  in  the 
sky  and  in  their  fields,  and,  if  they  possess  them,  in 
their  wood-lots,  their  orchards,  springs,  streams, 


THE  AIMS   OF   LANDSCAPE-GARDENING    23 

and  hedgerows,  and  in  the  birds  that  delight  in 
bushes  and  trees.  It  will  enable  those  who  live 
in  the  country  to  get  far  greater  pleasure  from 
life  than  many  do  at  present,  and  will  stimulate 
them  to  beautify  their  homes  and  take  pride  in  their 
surroundings,  their  work,  and  their  free  health- 
ful lives.  It  will  prevent  a  farmer  from  renting 
his  field  or  his  barn  for  a.  bill-board  to  advertise 
someone's  pills.  It  will  teach  him  that  he  may 
have,'  if  he  will,  during  each  day  of  his  life,  that 
enjoyment  in  the  beauty  of  the  country  to  which 
business  men  of  the  city  look  forward  as  the  crown- 
ing pleasure  of  their  declining  years,  those  years 
when  rheumatism,  deafness,  and  other  infirmities 
frequently  prevent  one  from  receiving  the  full  meas- 
ure of  happiness  that  nature  should  give. 

It  will  teach  the  city  dweller,  who,  to  a  certain 
extent,  is  fond  of  nature,  that  it  is  not  the  part  of 
wisdom  to  Create  beautiful  parks  and  build  beauti- 
ful drives  or  parkways  and  then  border  them  with 
bill-boards.  It  will  teach  him  to  respect  the  wooded 
bluffs  and  hillsides,  the  springs,  streams,  river  banks 
and  lake  shores  within  the  city  boundaries,  and 
preserve  them  with  loving  care.  This  apprecia- 
tion and  care  will  also  extend  to  the  suburbs  and 


24  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

will  bring  about  a  friendly  relation  between  the 
people  of  the  city  and  those  of  the  country. 

The  full  development  of  that  fine  art,  of  which 
this  book  gives  mere  suggestions  and  glimpses, 
should  result  in  preserving  the  country's  natural 
beauty,  and  developing  real  outdoor  pictures  every- 
where until  the  United  States  becomes  the  most 
beautiful  country  in  the  world  —  more  beauti- 
ful than  any  now  imagined,  and  fully  worthy  of  the 
affection  and  pride  of  all  its  people. 

What  of  the  landscape-gardener  ?  What  should 
he  have  in  the  way  of  equipment,  aims,  and  com- 
pensation ? 

As  to  equipment,  "all  is  grist  that  comes  to  his 
mill";  but  he  should  have  above  all  a  love  and 
appreciation  of  natural  beauty.  It  is  of  advan- 
tage to  him  if  he  has  been  born  in  the  country, 
or  at  least  has  lived  a  portion  of  his  life  in  inti- 
mate relation  with  woods,  streams,  and  open  fields. 
The  history  of  the  world,  as  revealed  in  astronomy, 
geology,  physiography,  botany,  zoology,  chem- 
istry, and  the  development  of  nations,  is  of  value 
to  him.  The  skill  of  the  artist  in  various  forms 
of  expression  is  also  of  value  —  expression  in  words, 
in  drawings,  and  in  actual  construction. 


THE  AIMS  OF  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING    25 

His  aims  should  include  helping  his  fellow  men 
and  women  to  live  happier,  richer,  fuller  lives ; 
helping  his  country,  his  city,  his  neighborhood, 
his  own  home  to  grow  more  beautiful ;  helping 
everywhere  in  that  material,  artistic  and  ideal 
development  that  comes  from  doing  things  in  a 
rational,  thoughtful,  common-sense  way. 

His  compensation  in  a  material  way  should** 
correspond  with  that  received  by  men  in  other 
professions  ;  but  in  the  satisfaction  that  comes  from 
seeing  and  producing  beauty,  from  breathing  fresh 
air,  getting  outdoor  exercise  and  all  the  delights 
that  go  with  the  country  and  the  great  outdoors 
and  in  the  pleasure  and  satisfaction  of  doing  helpful 
constructive  work,  no  profession  can  vie  with  that 
of  this  new  art. 


CHAPTER   II 

THE  SAVING  OF  NATURAL  FEATURES  AND 
RESOURCES 

THERE  has  been  a  tendency  in  the  United  States, 
and  perhaps  in  most  countries,  to  use  up  or  destroy, 
many  things  that  would  have  been  of  value  to  fu- 
ture generations.  We  have  needlessly  wasted,  de- 
stroyed and  burned  up  large  portions  of  the  forests 
that  would  have  been  of  priceless  value  even  to  the 
present  generation.  We  have  needlessly  worn  out 
and  destroyed  much  of  the  natural  richness  of 
soil  and  have  allowed  large  quantities  of  it  to  be 
washed  away.  We  have  destroyed  most  of  the 
fur-bearing  animals  and  the  game  that  was  once 
so  abundant.  We  have  destroyed  the  fish  in  rivers 
and  lakes.  All  of  these  facts  are  quite  generally 
recognized  and  regretted,  but  we  have  not  yet  re- 
formed. The  destruction  of  forests  goes  on,  and 
scarcely  any  provision  is  made  for  the  future  supply 
of  lumber.  The  same  is  true  regarding  many 

26 


NATURAL  FEATURES  AND   RESOURCES    27 

other  natural  products.  Even  coal  and  oil  are  not 
conserved  as  they  should  be. 

One  feature  of  this  country,  however,  which  is 
being  destroyed  and  which  is  seldom  mentioned, 
is  its  beauty.  This  loss  is  intimately  connected 
with  the  other  losses  named.  A  needless  destruc- 
tion of  a  forest  often  leaves  a  barren  waste.  Com- 
pare the  primeval  forest  with  the  "pine  barrens" 
that  have  taken  its  place.  Compare  a  newly  dis- 
cdVered  creek  or  river  with  banks  well  covered 
by  native  growth  with  the  same  river  a  genera- 
tion later  when  its  banks  are  denuded  of  growth 
and  the  river  as  if  angry  spends  its  energy  in  goug- 
ing out  the  land  on  either  side.  Compare  the  shores 
of  a  lake  as  first  seen  by  white  people  with  the 
same  shores  after  the  trees  have  been  cut  away 
and  their  places  taken  by  ice-houses  and  other  pro- 
truding or  obtrusive  buildings.  Compare  the  tree- 
covered  hills  of  some  of  the  southern  states  with 
neighboring  hills  that  have  been  denuded  of  for- 
est and  have  been  eroded  by  storms  until  the  vir- 
gin soil  has  disappeared  and  the  ground  is  worth- 
less. 

The  history  of  what  is  taking  place  in  this  coun- 
try is  but  a  repetition  of  that  in  other  lands.  In 


28  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

France,  for  example,  it  has  been  necessary  to  spend 
millions  to  reforest  mountains  and  foothills  that 
had  become  worthless  through  erosion  and  to  pre- 
vent the  destruction  of  land  below.  Such  de- 
struction would  result  from  its  becoming  covered 
with  the  material  washed  from  above.  The  re- 
foresting would  bring  back  not  only  beauty  but 
safety.  Many  countries  once  prosperous  have 
become,  through  the  destruction  of  their  forests, 
like  deserts  and  almost  uninhabitable.  The 
United  States  should  avoid  a  catastrophe  of  this 
kind.  The  loss  of  beauty  always  accompanies 
the  destruction  of  a  forest.  This  is  one  of  the 
many  cases  where  beauty  and  utility  are  closely 
connected.  The  forest  is  valuable  for  the  wood 
and  timber  it  produces  and  for  the  protection  it 
gives,  but  it  is  also  valuable  for  its  beauty ;  and 
this  chapter  would  call  especial  attention  to  this 
attribute  which  it  possesses,  and  base  on  it  a  plea 
for  the  preservation  of  woods.  This  plea  would 
be  for  the  protection  of  the  undergrowth  as  well 
as  of  the  larger  trees. 

In  subsequent  chapters  attention  will  be  called 
to  the  various  elements  of  natural  beauty.  In 
this  chapter  a  general  discussion  of  the  subject 


NATURAL   FEATURES  AND   RESOURCES     29 

of  landscape-gardening  in  its  relation  to  the  entire 
country  will  be  attempted. 

EACH    FOR    ALL 

A  man  with  intelligence,  good  health,  energy, 
and  an  appreciation  of  nature  can  build  an  at- 
tractive home  with  pleasing  surroundings,  but  un- 
less his  neighbors  are  of  like  mind  with  himself, 
he  will  not  get  the  enjoyment  out  of  life  that  he 
should.  We  are  dependent  on  each  other.  Each 
should'  do  something  for  his  neighbors,  which  means 
that  each  should  do  something  for  his  country  as  a 
whole.  He  should  constantly  have  that  habit  of 
thought  that  favors  economy,  thrift,  neatness, 
prevention  of  waste  and  a  creation  of  beauty,  for 
all  of  these  go  together. 

We,  the  people  who  came  from  Europe,  found 
this  country  with  a  beautiful  forest  sheltering  wild 
life  and  protecting  clear,  clean  streams  and  lakes. 
It  was  at  first  necessary  to  destroy  parts  of  the 
forest  to  provide  lumber,  fuel,  and  land  for  culti- 
vation. The  destruction  was  carried  far  beyond 
the  needs,  but  some  areas  of  original  forest  still 
remain  even  in  the  older  states.  These  areas  should 
be  guarded  and  preserved  zealously.  Their  utility 


30  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

has  been  discussed  adequately  by  professors  and 
others  interested  in  forestry,  but  more  thought  and 
attention  should  be  given  to  the  part  these  areas  of 
woodland  play  in  making  the  country  attractive 
and  in  providing  healthful  recreation.  When  this  is 
fully  understood  and  appreciated,  nothing  will  seem 
more  natural  than  to  add  to  woods  by  planting  trees 
and  shrubs  along  the  margins  of  existing  growth, 
by  preserving  the  young  trees  that  start  in  the 
interior  of  the  forest  and  thus  insure  its  perpetua- 
tion, and  by  planting  entirely  new  forests  in  those 
regions  not  adapted  to  cultivation  and  the  ordi- 
nary forms  of  agriculture. 

The  streams,  once  so  clear  and  pure,  have  been 
polluted  until  they  are  often  to  be  avoided.  They 
have  become  muddy  and  loaded  with  sewage. 
Formerly,  their  banks  were  sought  as  places  of 
residence,  where  now,  in  some  cases,  these  banks 
would  be  the  last  places  selected  for  homes. 

To  make  the  streams  available  as  attractive 
landscape  features,  —  to  say  nothing  of  their  effect 
on  health,  —  sewage  and  other  impurities  should  be 
kept  out  of  them.  Here  the  work  of  the  physician, 
sanitary  engineer,  forester  and  landscape-gardener 
are  closely  related. 


NATURAL  FEATURES  AND   RESOURCES    31 

The  margins  of  lakes,  once  so  beautifully  wooded, 
in  many  cases  have  become  bare  and  disfigured 
with  huge  ice-houses  and  other  buildings.  This 
is  even  true  of  the  banks  of  many  of  our  larger 
rivers  like  those  of  the  historic  Hudson. 

In  the  development  of  water  power,  large  areas 
of  forest  have  sometimes  been  flooded  and  the 
trees  left  standing  to  disfigure  the  landscape  for 
years  to  come  with  their  skeleton-like  trunks  and 
limbs. 

We  have  gone  from  bad  to  worse  in  the  matter 
of  bill-boards,  frequently  bordering  with  them  the 
main  lines  of  travel. 

We  have  disfigured  the  banks  of  small  streams 
and  rivers  and  charming  ravines  with  rubbish  of 
all  kinds.  We  have  gone  along  the  country  roads, 
especially  near  cities  and  villages,  and  when  we 
have  found  the  most  charming  spot,  perhaps  a 
leafy  slope  leading  down  to  a  pleasant  valley,  we 
have  said  "Aha  !  here  is  a  good  place  to  dump 
our  loads,"  and  have  proceeded  at  once  to  smother 
every  vestige  of  vegetation  with  ashes  and  tin 
cans ;  then  fearing  criticism,  we  have  stuck  up  a 
sign  "Dump  no  rubbish  here"  and  have  left  the 
ashes  and  the  sign  in  full  view  for  years  and  years, 


32  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

until  perhaps  Nature  through  her  kindness  has 
covered  them  with  grape  or  bittersweet  vines.  We 
have  done  innumerable  things  to  give  the  country 
an  ugly  appearance  and  mar  its  beauty,  blind  alike 
to  both,  and  then  have  gone  complacently  on  de- 
claring that  we  are  the  salt  of  the  earth  and  pity- 
ing the  people  who  live  in  other  countries. 

If  a  landscape-gardener  were  called  on  to  prescribe 
for  the  country  as  a  whole,  just  as  he  is  sometimes 
c'alled  on  to  prescribe  for  the  premises  of  individuals, 
he  would  probably  give  his  first  attention  to  the 
9  farms,  because  they  form  a  larger  part  of  the  face 
of  the  land.  They  are  not  only  the  foundation  of 
wealth,  furnishing  food  and  clothing,  but  they  also 
lie  at  the  foundation  of  our  national  character,  be- 
cause many  farmers'  boys  and  girls  graduate  to 
the  cities,  and  the  farmers  constitute  a  large  per- 
centage of  our  population.  The  farms  covering 
such  a  large  proportion  of  the  area  of  the  United 
States  form  the  greatest  factor  in  the  beauty  of 
the  country  as  a  whole.  In  treating  the  farms,  the 
group  of  farm  buildings  would  first  be  embellished 
with^trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers,  and  then  attention 
would  be  given  to  the  wood-lots,  springs,  streams, 
and  other  features  of  beauty.  Incidentally,  all 


NATURAL  FEATURES  AND   RESOURCES    33 

farm  tools  that  have  been  left  rusting  scattered 
about  the  fields  would  be  brought  to  a  place  of 
shelter.  The  farmer  and  the  members  of  his  family 
would  be  taught  to  see  the  beauty  of  trees  and 
other  vegetation,  the  beauty  of  rolling  fields,  sky- 
lines, clouds  and  sunshine,  for,  strangely  enough, 
it  is  the  farmers  who  live  closest  to  nature  who 
stand  in  greatest  need  of  an  awakening.  Then, 
with  one  fell  swoop,  away  would  go  all  the  bill- 
boards that  disfigure  so  many  of  the  landscapes 
and  call  loudly  and  impudently  to  each  passer-by 
and  then  stare.  him  out  of  countenance. 

Having  lancflscaped  the  farms  and  destroyed  the  1 
bill-boards,  the  next  task  would  be  to  improve  the  / 
appearance  oil,  the  highways.     The  engineers  would 
make    the    roadways,    but    the  landscape-gardener 
would   plant   the   margins,  giving  these  margins   as 
much   thoughtful   study   as    a   good   painter   would     j 
bestow  on  his  canvas. 


The  rhnol-y^rrlfj  would  also  receive  attention, 
and  when  the  rural  districts  as  a  whole  were  made 
beautiful,  cities  and  villages  would  next  require 
treatment.  Each  combination  of  city  school  and 
neighborhood  center  would  be  given  ample  space 
for  buildings  and  grounds.  The  borders  of  the 


34  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

city  streets  would  be  planted  attractively,  and 
ample  spaces  in  the  most  suitable  situations  would 
be  devoted  to  parks.  The  beauties  of  nature  — 
the  streams,  hillsides,  lakes,  and  rivers  —  when 
they  exist  within  or  near  a  city,  would  be  preserved 
as  indicated  in  subsequent  chapters. 
^  The  indivichi^Ji£m^s--e£-4ie  cities  and  villages, 
whether  large  or  small,  would  become  fully  as  at- 
tractive as  corresponding  homes  in  other  countries, 
where  even  the  smallest  yard  is  usually  charming. 

The  home  of  a  laborer  or  mechanic  may  indeed 
be  as  artistic  as  that  of  his  employer.  There  is  no 
reason  why  a  laborer  should  not  have  a  hobby  and 
become  an  authority,  at  least  in  his  neighborhood, 
on  some  special  subject.  It  might  be  some  plant 
or  class  of  plants  which  he  would  raise  and  value 
in  his  back  yard,  some  plants  grown  for  flowers, 
or  certain  vegetables  or  small-fruits.  A  hobby 
of  this  kind,  having  to  do  with  life  out-of-doors 
and  the  good  appearance  of  one's  home,  is  con- 
nected with  landscape-gardening,  but  for  fear  that 
some  will  say  that  a  laborer  has  no  £ime  for  hobbies, 
the  reader  is  asked  to  read  the  statement  of  an  actual 
example,  although,  in  this  case,  the  hobby  had  no 
very  close  relation  to  landscape-gardening. 


NATURAL  FEATURES  AND  RESOURCES  35 

Years  ago  a  Mr.  Currier,  living  in  a  city  in  Michi- 
gan, worked  in  a  foundry  for  two  dollars  a  day,  a 
day's  work  at  that  time  requiring  ten  hours.  At 
night  he  would  go  home  with  his  hands  and  face 
blackened  from  his  toil.  But  notwithstanding  his 
long  day's  work,  he  found  time  to  go  about  the 
country  just  outside  of  his  city  and  make  col- 
lections of  shells.  He  also  found  time  to  carry 
on  a  correspondence  and  exchange  the  shells  for 
those  collected  by  others  in  all  parts  of  the  world, 
so  that  in  time  his  collection  equaled  that  of  any 
in  the  state  with  possibly  one  exception,  if  a 
man  working  for  two  dollars  a  day  with  long  hours 
could  accomplish  so  much,  why  could  not  the 
laborers  of  the  present  time  with  far  greater  pay 
and  with  short  working  days  be  able  to  make  a 
special  study  of  botany,  geology,  or  any  natural 
science,  or  a  study  of  individual  plants  or  classes 
of  plants,  or  birds,  and  by  so  doing  make  life  more 
interesting  for  himself  and  his  family,  for  cer- 
tainly if  he  had  such  a  hobby  his  wife  and  children 
would  be  interested  in  it  with  him. 

With  the  beauty  of  the  country  restored^jmdjjiat 
of  villages  and  cities  properly  developed,  there 
should  still  remain  a  large  area,  varying  probably 


36  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

from  ten  to  thirty  per  cent  of  the  whole,  in  forest 
and  state,  county,  and  township  parks. 

Although  the  forest  has  several  times  been  men- 
tioned in  this  chapter,  it  is  a  subject  of  so  much 
importance  that  quotations  will  here  be  made  from 
a  little  book  entitled  "The  Forest  Waters  the 
Farm,"  published  in  1886  by  the  Forest  and  Stream 
Publishing  Company.  This  book  should  be  read 
by  everyone  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  coun- 
try. It  is  a  translation  from  the  French,  and  the 
quotations  are : 

"One  should  cultivate  his  field  according  to'  its 
slope  and  its  nature  ;  on  high  ground  forest,  here  some 
grain,  there  turf-land  for  pasture,  and  above  all, 
should  never  sow  more  surface  than  he  can  manure." 

"The  woods  keep  the  water,  the  water  makes 
the  meadows,  the  flock  the  manure,  and  the  ma- 
nure the  grain." 

"A  country  without  wood  is  a  house  without  a 
roof.  No  peace  there  !  Sun,  wind,  rain,  and  cold 
keep  everyone  in  a  turmoil." 

"The  forest  protects  the  sloping  soil.  Where 
the  earth  is  in  danger  from  the  waters,  plant  a 
sapling."  «-~* 

"We  should  never  sacrifice  the  woods  to  the  sheepr 


NATURAL  FEATURES  AND  RESOURCES  37 

unless  we  wish  to  be  at  our  wits'   end  upon  the 

plains." 
*  > 

Bernard  Palissy  said  in  1563,  "When  I  consider 
the  value  of  the  least  clump  of  trees,  or  even  of 
thorns,  I  much  marvel  at  the  great  ignorance  of 
men,  who,  as  it  seemeth,  do  nowadays  study  to 
break  down,  fell  and  waste  the  fair  forests  which 
their  forefathers  did  guard  so  choicely.  I  would 
think  no  evil  of  them  for  cutting  down  the  woods, 
did  they  but  replant  again  some  part  of  them,  but 
they  care  naught  for  the  time  to  come,  neither 
reck  they  of  the  great  damage  they  do  to  their 
children  which  shall  come  after  them." 

The  above  quotations  emphasize  the  utility  of 
the  forest,  but  its  utility  is  so  intimately  connected 
with  its  effect  on  the  appearance  of  the  country  that 
both  of  its  'attributes  should  be  considered  to- 
gether. It  is  impossible  to  give  too  great  emphasis 
to  the  importance  of  either. 

The  landscape-gardener  would  not  diminish  the 
development  of  wa£er_  ^ower.  He  would  instead 
encourage  such  development,  because  it  would  save 
coal  and  decrease  the  amount  of  smoke.  He 
would,  however,  have  some  regardjbr  the  preser- 
vation  of  beauty  in  developing  this  power.  When 


38  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

• 

necessary  to  flood  land,  he  would  have  all  the 
trees  and  stumps  removed  before  covering  it  with 
water,  so  as  to  replace  the  river  with  a  clear, 
attractive  lake  without  stumps  or  other  objects' 
that  would  be  ugly,  and  dangerous  to  boating. 
He  would  either  save  suitable  vegetation  along 
the  margin  of  the  lake  to  be  formed,  or  plant  so  as 
to  give  this  lake  the  appearance  of  a  natural  body 
of  water.  He  would,  of  course,  oppose__the  de- 
struction of  waterfalls  so  unusual  in  their  appear- 
ance as  to  have  attained  a  world-wide  reputation, 
but  there  is  so  much  undeveloped  water  power 
that  some  of  the  scenic  beauty  of  waterfalls  can 
always  be  retained. 

The  artist  would  not  reduce  the  supply  of  timber. 
On  the  contrary,  he  would  increase  areas  of  forests, 
protect  new  growth,  and  prevent  destruction  by 
fire.  When  trees  are  cut  for  timber,  he  would  have 
all  branches  removed  and  either  utilized  or  burned 
where  they  will  not  endanger  the  trees  that  are 
left.  He  would  cut  trees  low  to  prevent  the  unsight- 
liness  of  tall  stumps.  While  the  removal  of 
branches  and  trimmings  would  help  to  preserve 
the  good  appearance  of  the  forest,  it  would  also 
be  a  precautionary  measure  of  safety  and  would 


NATURAL  FEATURES  AND  RESOURCES  39 

probably  save  timber  worth  many  times  the  cost 
of  its  removal. 

He  would  not  prevent  the  cutting  of  ice,  but  he 
would  build  the  ice-houses  in  a  location  and  manner 
that  would  prevent  their  being  obtrusive  in  the 
landscape.  This  could  usually  be  done  without 
additional  cost. 

He  would  not  preygri-f-  advertising^  but  would 
recommend  it  in  a  less  offensive  manner. 

In  short,  the  landscape-gardener  would  always 
encourage  production.  He  would  encourage  those 
things  that  make  for  comfort^  and  while  doing  so 
he  would  always  give  a  thought  for  the  beauty  of 
_th£__country  and  encourage  others  to  do  so  also, 
hoping  that  by  so  doing  the  country  as  a  whole, 
the  farming  regions,  the  cities,  the  villages,  the 
parks,  and  the  forests  would  continually  grow  in 
beauty,  and  life  become  more  and  more  worth  while. 

He  would  encourage   a   fuller,    richer?   more   ej 

^-~ 
able_an4  useful  life  for  each  individual,  and  nothing 

would  contribute  more  toward  this  result  than  the 
existence  of  beauty  fully  appreciated. 


CHAPTER   III 
LAND 

LAND  is  the  basis  of  all  landscape  endeavor.  It 
supports  vegetation  and  holds  in  its  hollow  places 
bodies  of  water  of  all  shapes  and  sizes  (Fig.  7). 
From  its  declivities  issue  springs  and  through  its 
valleys  flow  great  rivers. 

Land  consists of  decomposed  oj  disintegrated 

rock  or  decompo^ejL^rgajiic — matter,  or  both 
combined.  Rocks  may  be  decomposed  in  place 
and  form  soil  on  the  surface,  as  in  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee,  or  they  may  be  torn  to  pieces  through 
the  action  of  frost,  ice,  and  water  and  moved  long 
distances,  often  hundreds  of  miles,  as  in  large  por- 
tions of  all  the  states  north  of  the  Ohio  River.  The 
rock  that  has  been  crushed  and  ground  by  force  of 
glaciers  may  be  separated  by  the  action  of  water 
into  gravel,  clay,  and  sand  and  the  finer  particles  of 
the  latter  may  be  blown  into  great  hills  by  the  wind. 

The  forces  of  nature  have  by  their  action  gouged  out 

40 


LAND 


42  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

great  ravines  and  valleys,  produced  hills  and  plains, 
left  high  mountain  peaks,  made  dry  land  and  marshes, 
filled  up  lakes  with  plant  growth  and  formed  the 
earth's  surface  as  it  is  seen  today. 

No  sculptor  can  rival  nature  in  producing  beauti- 
ful shapes,  shapes  that  are  marvelous  in  their  grace- 
ful lines  and  surfaces,  that  show  by  their  wrinkles 
the  effect  of  struggle  and  resistance,  that  indicate 
the  passing  'of  long  periods  of  time.  Man  in  his 
efforts  to  grade  land  to  fit  the  various  needs  can  do 
no  better  than  imitate  nature.  If  he  wishes  to 
produce  beautiful  lawns,  he  may  give  the  land  the 
graceful  contour  of  the  prairies  and  place  that  por- 
tion of  it  which  is  richest  in  available  plant-food  near 
the  surface  where  it  will  obtain  moisture,  air,  and 
warmth  and  where  it  will  be  benefited  by  the  action 
of  frost. 

Since  land  varies  so  greatly  in  its  origin,  it  must 
vary  also  in  its  composition ;  but  all  land  contains 
elements  suited  to  some  plants.  Some  lands  are 
rich  in  lime,  and  on  this  account  are  unsuited  to  the 
growth  of  rhododendrons,  mountain  laurels,  blue- 
berries and  all  the  beautiful  plants  belonging,  like 
these,  to  the  heath  family.  These  lands  are,  how- 
ever, well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  certain  grasses 


LAND  43 

and  clovers,  and  to  the  raising  of  many  trees  and 
shrubs  that  are  exceedingly  valuable  in  landscape 
work.  Some  land,  on  the  other  hand,  is  very  de- 
ficient in  lime  but  rich  in  nitrogen  and  in  elements 
that  give  acidity.  Such  land  will  produce  the  beau- 
tiful plants  found  in  bogs.  It  is  suited  to  some  fruits, 
to  many  of  the  heaths  and  to  many  mosses  and 
plants  of  the  lower  orders.  Even  the  poorest  land 
will  grow  plants  that  make  a  beautiful  ground  cover- 
ing, and  any  situation  may  be  made  attractive  by 
selecting  the  plants  which  fit  it ;  but  if  one  wishes 
a  special  kind  of  ground  cover,  like  Kentucky  blue- 
grass,  one  must  see  that  the  soil  is  adapted  to  the 
plant  desired.  Its  adaptation  will  depend  not  alone 
on  the  elementary  substances  it  contains,  but  these 
must  exist  in  proper  combinations,  and  the  mechan- 
ical condition  of  the  soil  must  be  such  that  air  and 
moisture  will  reach  the  roots.  In  illustration  of 
the  different  needs  of  special  plants,  a  case  in  point 
may  be  cited.  In  a  certain  nursery,  the  rows  of 
trees  ran  east  and  west.  At  the  east  end  the  soil 
was  low,  black,  and  of  a  peaty  nature,  while  at  the 
west  end  it  was  higher  and  decidedly  sandy.  A  row 
of  elms  grew  with  great  rapidity  and  vigor  at  the  east 
end,  but  made  scarcely  any  growth  at  the  west  end. 


44  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

Some  Norway  maples  in  a  row  next  to  these  elms, 
on  the  other  hand,  were  very  thrifty  in  the  sand,  but 
stunted  in  the  soil  that  would  commonly  be  called 
rich. 

Another  important  fact  concerning  land  intended 
for  certain  plants  is  the  existence  of  microscopic 
organisms,  bacteria  and  protozoa,  in  the  soil,  which 
obtain  nitrogen  directly  from  the  air  and  supply  it 
%o  plants.  It  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that  these  or- 
ganisms may  affect  the  growth  of  certain  plants  in 
other  ways,  and  that  there  is  still  much  to  be  learned 
about  these  minute  organisms  and  their  relation  to 
the  growth  of  trees,  bushes,  and  other  vegetation. 

The  effect  of  the  mechanical  condition  of  land  is 
indicated  by  the  rapidity  in  growth  of  trees  and  of 
other  forms  of  vegetation  in  newly  filled  ground. 
Such  ground  may  settle  from  ten  to  twenty  per  cent. 
This  percentage  in  the  newly  filled  ground  must, 
therefore,  be  taken  by  air,  and  would  indicate  that 
an  abundance  of  air  in  the  soil  is  of  great  advantage 
to  vegetation.  The  larger  growth  upon  land  that 
has  been  shaken  by  the  explosion  of  dynamite  cor- 
roborates this  idea.  When  plants  do  not  thrive,  it 
is  often  assumed  that  the  land  in  which  they  grow 
is  too  poor,  and,  therefore,  rich  black  ground  is  added 


LAND  45 

or  plant-food  may  be  applied  in  the  shape  of  ferti- 
lizers. Usually  this  is  helpful,  but,  sometimes,  it 
is  like  giving  additional  food  to  a  sick  person  when 
he  has  already  eaten  too  much.  Sugar  maples, 
red  oaks,  cherry  trees,  beeches,  pines,  hemlocks, 
dogwoods,  wild  grapes,  and  many  other  plants  grow 
luxuriously  upon  the  sands  of  western  and  northern 
Michigan,  even  on  land  so  poor  that  it  is  thought 
unfit  for  agriculture.  This  simply  illustrates  how 
all  land  is  adapted  to  the  uses  of  the  landscape- 
gardener.  He  may  improve  it  for  certain  purposes 
and  make  it  better  adapted  for  the  growth  of  par- 
ticular plants,  but  often  his  best  course  will  be  to 
select  such  plants  as  grow  on  land  like  that  with 
which  he  has  to  deal. 

Land  to  be  useful  must  be  stationary ;  that  is, 
it  must  not  be  blown  away  by  wind  or  washed  away 
by  running  water.  To  prevent  light  sandy  land  from 
being  blown  away,  it  must  be  thickly  planted,  usually 
with  perennials  having  a  woody  growth,"  although 
many  herbaceous  plants  are  also  useful  in  holding 
sand.  Much  can  also  be  accomplished  by  planting 
to  prevent  land  from  being  washed  away.  The 
damage  to  lands  by  erosion  will  be  discussed  further 
under  the  heading  of  "streams." 


CHAPTER  IV 
PLANTING  MATERIALS 

THERE  is  a  remarkable  variety  of  planting  ma- 
terial. Even  to  give  a  list  of  the  various  plants  would 
take  more  room  than  this  volume  can  spare.  Such 
a  list  would  include  trees,  shrubs,  vines,  herbaceous 
flowering  plants,  ferns,  mosses,  lichens,  and  fungi. 
With  the  gradual  development  of  the  art  of  landscape- 
gardening,  the  number  of  available  plants  has  largely 
increased.  This  increase  is  due  not  alone  to  the  dis- 
covery of  species  before  unknown  or  to  the  develop- 
ment of  new  forms  and  colors  through  hybridization 
and  other  means,  but  to  the  fact  that  new  beauty 
is  discovered  in  well-known  plants.  Thus  sumacs, 
elderberries,  hazel  bushes,  goldenrods  and  asters, 
once  considered  so  common  as  to  command  little 
more  respect  than  weeds,  are  found  to  be  really 
valuable  in  landscape-making.  The  introductions 
from  little-explored  countries,  as  from  China,  have 

also  added  to  our  stock  of  desirable  plants. 

46 


PLANTING  MATERIALS  47 

TREES 

Of  all  available  planting  material,  none  is  more 
useful  than  trees.  They  have  size,  gracefulness, 
strength,  dignity,  age  (Fig.  8).  They  carry  the 
sky  line  to  a  great  height.  They  provide  shade. 
Their  leaves  are  objects  of  perpetual  interest  from 
the  variety  they  show  in  size,  shape,  margin,  color 
and  texture.  Their  spring  coloring  may  be  quite 
different  from  that  of  summer,  and  in  autumn 
they  may  fairly  riot  in  their  wealth  of  reds, 
yellows,  purples,  and  browns.  When  the  leaves 
finally  drop  to  the  ground,  their  beauty  is  not 
all  gone,  for  they  still  have  pleasing  shapes  and 
colors  and  might  well  serve  as  motives  in  designing 
carpets  and  rugs.  The  leaves  are  useful  as  well  as 
beautiful,  for  they  breathe  and  prepare  the  sap  of 
the  trees  for  nourishment  and  then  protect  the  roots, 
preserve  moisture  and  finally  furnish  food.  This 
is  but  one  illustration  of  nature's  combination  of 
beauty  with  utility,  a  combination  that  will  be  found 
more  and  more  prevalent  with  increased  study  and 
observation,  and  may  even  extend  to  the  landscape- 
gardener's  work  of  designing  parks  and  home  grounds. 

Some    trees    are    evergreen,    holding    their    green 


48 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


FIG.  8.  —  THE  FRAMEWORK  OF  THE  TREES.     The  branching  of  a  hawthorn 
an  interesting  example  of  strength  and  beauty. 


PLANTING  MATERIALS  49 

leaves  or  needles  throughout  one  or  more  years,  but 
even  in  these  the  spring  coloring  of  the  new  growth 
may  make  a  delightful  contrast  with  the  growth  of 
the  preceding  year.  Such  trees  give  warmth  to 
the  winter  landscape.  The  deciduous  trees,  how- 
ever, do  not  lose  their  charm  with  the  falling  of  their 
leaves.  Note  the  gracefulness  of  the  branches  of  the 
elm,  distinguishing  this  tree  even  at  a  great  distance, 
the  beautiful  light  bluish  gray  coloring  of  the  bark 
of  beeches  and  trie  great  strength  of  their  branches 
extending  straight  out  from  the  trunk.  Note  also 
the  rough  bark  of  the  bur  oak  extending  even  to  the 
young  branches,  and  the  pleasing  curved  outline  of 
the  top  of  the  tree,  especially  in  the  spring,  this  out- 
line being  due  to  the  light  gray  color  of  last  year's 
bark  and  later  to  the  light  yellow  of  the  expanding 
buds.  The  mere  mention  of  the  names  of  trees  — 
the  sugar  maples,  lindens,  cherries,  sycamores,  Ken- 
tucky coffee  trees,  pepperidges,  sassafras,  birches, 
hickories,  walnuts,  honey  locusts,  thorn  and  crab- 
apples  --will  bring  to  mind  some  pleasing  peculiar- 
ity of  branching,  texture  or  color  of  bark,  or  even 
the  old  leaves  hanging  to.  the  branches  of  certain 
trees,  like  the  straw-colored  leaves  on  young  beeches 
and  the  reddish-brown  leaves  on  some  of  the  oaks. 


So  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

No  attempt  will  be  made  here  to  give  a  complete 
list  of  available  trees  or  to  describe  them,  as  that 
work  has  been  so  well  done  in  other  books,  but  one 
likes  to  recall  the  names  of  some  of  them  as  he  would 
the  names  and  faces  of  friends.  If  a  reader's  favor- 
ite tree  does  not  appear  among  those  mentioned 
from  time  to  time,  it  must  not  be  construed  as  a 
reflection  on  his  tree,  as  there  undoubtedly  is  a  place 
for  every  tree  in  some  location,  a  place  where  it  will 
serve  better  than  any  other.  Such  a  place  may 
even  be  found  for  a  Lombardy'  poplar,  a  soft  maple, 
or  a  box  elder. 

SHRUBS 

Shrubs  are  like  trees  in  many  respects.  They 
have  similar  leaves,  blossoms,  and  fruits,  and  they 
are  interesting  from  the  color  of  their  branches  or 
their  manner  of  growth,  but  they  are  comparatively 
small  and  usually  have  many  stems  instead  of  one. 
There  are  evergreen  and  deciduous  shrubs,  and  they 
may  be  planted  for  their  beauty  alone  or  to  serve 
as  a  hedge  or  screen.  In  landscape  design,  shrubs 
are  useful  in  many  ways.  Often  they  are  employed 
to  grade  down  the  higher  outlines  of  trees  to  the  sur- 
face of  a  lawn  or  other  low  area.  They  form  an 


PLANTING  MATERIALS  51 

attractive  border  for  lawns  and  lakes.  They  help 
to  "tie"  buildings  to  their  sites  and  give  an  effect 
of  age.  They  may  be  used  to  separate  bays  so  that 
one  part  of  a  lawn  or  lake  will  be  hidden  from  an- 
other. They  may  screen  fences,  laundry  'yards,  or 
other  objects  that  should  be  hidden,  but  primarily 
they  are  planted  for  their  own  beauty  or  perfume. 
This  statement  will  be  sufficiently  illustrated  by 
the  mere  mention  of  certain  common  well-known 
shrubs,  such  as  lilacs,  syringas,  honeysuckles,  and 
roses. 

When  shrubs  are  used  to  form  a  border,  or  when 
they  stand  out  only  as  individuals,  the  lower  limbs 
should  be  allowed  to  remain  and  spread  out  over  or 
rest  upon  the  adjacent  ground.  To  trim  off  these 
branches  and  expose  the  upright  stems  greatly  mars 
their  beauty.  It  is  not  expected  that  grass  will  grow 
under  well  developed  healthy  shrubs.  When  shrubs 
or  trees  are  first  set  out,  the  ground  underneath  should 
be  cultivated  or  pulverized  with  a  rake  or  hoe  until 
August  or  September  ;  but  after  one  or  two  seasons  of 
such  care,  when  these  plants  become  well  established, 
no  further  attention  should  be  needed,  especially 
if  the  leaves  which  drop  in  the  fall  can  be  allowed 
to  remain  on  the  ground  as  a  permanent  mulch.  The 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


PLANTING  MATERIALS  53 

lower  spreading  branches  of  shrubs  help  to  hold  the 
mulch  of  leaves  and  make  a  graceful  border  for  the 
lawn.  Any  one  who  appreciates  the  beauty  of  this 
border  will  not  allow  these  lower  branches  to  be 
cut,  and  he  will  consider  the  digging  of  a  ditch  about 
a  group  of  shrubs  an  unpardonable  sin. 

The  value  of  shrubs  in  a  landscape  will  be  appre- 
ciated if  one  thinks  of  the  edge  of  woods  (Fig.  9) 
along  an  open  field  where  the  trunks  of  the  trees 
are  for  the  most  part  hidden  with  a  natural  growth 
of  viburnums,  dogwoods,  hazels  and  elderberries, 
with  groups  of  wild  roses  tucked  in  here  and 
there,  or  when  one  looks  at  two  buildings  (Figs.  10 
and  n)  rising  from  open  areas,  one  perfectly  bare 
and  the  other  partially  hidden  with  a  growth  of 
shrubs,  vines  and  flowers. 

VINES 

Vines  are  climbing  plants,  some  woody,  some 
herbaceous.  They  climb  by  tendrils  like  the  grape, 
by  rootlets  like  the  poison  ivy,  or  by  twining  like 
the  moonseed.  The  ends  of  rootlets  are  often  spread 
out  into  sucker-like  disks.  Vines  are  beautiful  in 
foliage,  —  note  any  well-known  species  ;  in  flowers, 
as  climbing  roses,  morning-glories  and  honeysuckles ; 


FIG.  10.  —  NAKED  AND  DEFENSELESS.     Compare  with  Fig.  n,  showing  a 
setting  of  shrubs. 


FIG.  ii.  —  CLOTHED  AND  PROTECTED.     Partially  hidden  with  a  growth  of 
shrubs,  vines  and  flowers. 

54 


PLANTING  MATERIALS  55 

and  in  fruit,  as  note  especially  bittersweet.  Some 
are  very  fragrant  when  in  bloom,  for  example  wild 
grape  and  Hall's  honeysuckle.  Many  vines,  like 
the  wild  grape,  grow  with  great  rapidity  and  often 
smother  the  host  that  gives  them  support.  It  is 
dangerous^__therefore,,  tr>  p^nt  t*1^™  about  ghrnbg, 
and  caution  should  be  exercised  when  they  are  near 
trees,  for  a  vigorous  grapevine  will  soon  reach  the 
top  of  the  tallest  growth  in  a  forest.  For  covering 
trellises,  lattice-work  and  walls,  however,  vines  are 
exceedingly  useful,  and  they  often  form  most  attrac- 
tive ground  covers. 

HERBACEOUS    FLOWERING    PLANTS 

Many  books  have  been  written  about  flowers  and 
flower-gardens,  but  no  description  can  convey  an 
adequate  idea  of  the  beauty  and  perfume  of  a  peony, 
iris,  or  lily,  to  say  nothing  of  the  rose.  To  obtain 
a  knowledge  of  flowers,  one  must  see  them  at  close 
hand  and  know  them  by  smell  as  well  as  by  sight. 
They  belong  in  every  near-by  landscape,  where  they 
may  enhance  the  general  effect,  and  also  in  the  gar- 
den for  cut-flowers,  and  in  special  gardens  for  the 
display  of  one  or  more  kinds  of  bloom.  There 
are  hardy  flowers,  from  the  snowdrops  of  March 


56  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

to  the  asters  and  gentians  of  October  or  Novem- 
ber. There  are  flowers  of  all  colors,  and  one  can 
devote  a  lifetime  to  collecting  flowers  of  one  type, 
as  the  peonies  or  the  hardy  chrysanthemums, 
or  to  arranging  a  succession  of  harmonious  com- 
binations. 

One  can  have  wall-gardens,  water-gardens,  wild- 
gardens,  bog-gardens,  and  gardens  of  a  particular 
season  or  of  specially  selected  colors.  These  are 
intensely  interesting.  One  can  imagine  how  much 
interest  might  be  taken  in  a  garden  devoted  to  hya- 
cinths, to  the  various  kinds  of  narcissus,  to  orchids, 
to  peonies,  to  lupines,  to  columbines,  to  irises,  to 
gentians,  or  to  dahlias.  These,  however,  are  special 
interests  and  can  hardly  be  entered  into  in  detail 
by  one  devoting  his  life  to  the  general  practice  of 
landscape-gardening.  To  do  so  would  be  like  an 
architect's  decorating  the  rooms  of  his  buildings  and 
painting  the  pictures  for  the  walls. 

FERNS 

Ferns  can  be  selected  for  nearly  all  positions,  dry, 
moist,  sunny,  or  shady.  They  are  beautiful  and  in- 
teresting plants  and  should  find  a  place  in  nearly 
every  scheme  for  the  development  of  ground  along 


PLANTING  MATERIALS  57 

artistic  lines.     Fortunately,   many  species   are  per- 
fectly hardy  even  in  northern  climates. 

MOSSES    AND    LICHENS 

Mosses  and  lichens,  using  these  terms  with  their 
popular  significance,  are  humble  specimens  of  the 
vegetable  kingdom  not  usually  considered  as  material 
for  planting.  Mosses  have,  however,  been  trans- 
planted successfully  to  many  gardens.  They  are 
beautiful  and  serve  a  useful  purpose  as  a  carpet  or 
as  a  setting  for  small  flowering  plants.  A  professor 
from  a  New  England  university  said  a  moss  garden 
in  Scotland  was  the  most  charming  thing  he  saw 
during  his  trip  to  Europe.  Lichens  may  sometimes 
be  transplanted  successfully  with  the  bowlders  on 
which  they  grow.  Since  mosses  and  lichens  are 
sometimes  the  most  attractive  plants  seen  in  woods, 
it  ought  to  be  possible  to  utilize  them  to  advantage 
in  parks  and  home  grounds. 


CHAPTER  V 
ARRANGEMENT  OF  PLANTING 

\  THE  arrangement  of  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers  is 
often  of  more  importance  than  the  plant  selected, 
since  it  may  make  little  difference  whether  a  linden, 
a  maple,  or  a  tulip  tree  is  chosen  to  carry  the  sky- 
line to  the  desired  height,  while  the  sky-line  itself 
may  be  of  the  greatest  value.  Sometimes  a  mass 
of  shrubs  is  needed  in  a  certain  place,  a  mass  which 
might  be  made  satisfactorily  of  viburnums,  dogwoods 
or  hazels,  or  a  combination  of  these  and  similar 
shrubs.  The  arrangement  of  plants  will  be  discussed 
in  some  detail  under  the  headings  of  home  grounds, 
thoroughfares,  parks,  arboretums,  cemeteries,  and 
school  grounds,  but  certain  general  rules  or  principles 
may  advantageously  be  mentioned  here. 
/  Hills  may  be  emphasized  or  accented  by  planting 
tall-growing  trees  at  the  top,  medium-sized  trees 
on  the  sides,  and  low  ground-covering  material  at 
the  bottom,  j  This  is  so  evident  that  it  requires  no 

58 


ARRANGEMENT  OF  PLANTING  59 

discussion,  but,  like  many  other  well-known  rules,  is 
often  neglected,  so  that  a  ravine  *or  valley  becomes 
filled  with  trees  which  are  nearly  level  on^top  and 
thus  loses  its  value  in  a  landscape. 

In  like  manner,  the  broader-growing  trees  _and 
shrubs  should  be  planted  at  "the  projections'  forming 
the  boundaries  of  ba^sj!  of  foliage,  and  relatively 
narrow  specimens  in  the  deeper  portions  so  that  the 
bays  will  not  be  filled  up  with  years  of  growth  and 
thus  lose  their  significance. 

Excepting  inrthe  limited  narrow  strips  for  plant- 
ing along  the  sides  of  roads  and  walks,  the  borders 
of  gardens,  and  other  inclosures-  and  orchards  need- 
ing continued  cultivation,  trees  and  shrubs  should 
not  be  planted  in  rows/  This  rule  may  call  for  some 
discussion.  It  will  be  acknowledged  readily  that 
woods  have  a  great  charm  for  nearly  every  one  who 
has  the  privilege  of  visiting  them.  What  gives  this 
charm  ?  The  wonderful  variety  for  one  thing,  but 
that  is  not  all ;  the  beauty  of  the  individual  leaves 
and  flowers,  but  this  does  not  fully  account  for  it. 

The  great  size  of  the  trees,  the  manner  of  branch- 
ing, the  bark,  and  the  varying  distances  that  one  can 
see  into  the  depths  of  the  woods  contribute  to  their 
charm,  and  yet  something  more  is  needed  in  expla- 


60  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

nation.  This  is  the  fact  that  no  three  or  more  plants 
are  in  line.  Each  individual  tree  or  shrub  seems 
to  have  selected  its  neighbors.  Two  may  apparently 
be  talking  together  or  enjoying  each  other's  com- 
panionship in  one  place,  three  in  another,  and  then 
there  may  be  a  whole  town  meeting  of  trees  or  bushes. 
Perhaps  a  thousand  pawpaws  may  be  gathered  to- 
gether in  one  locality,  a  group  of  elderberries  in  an- 
other, a  grove  of  beeches  in  another,  and  choke- 
cherries  and  sheep-berries  in  still  another.  One 
old  patriarch  of  a  tree  appears  to  have  gathered  his 
children  about  him.  This/^lack  of  regularity  pro- 
duces an  air  of  freedom  that  is  delightful.)  The  truth 
of  the  above  statement  may  be  shown  by  an  example. 
Some  Americans  were  approaching  a  forest  on  one 
of  the  great  estates  of  England.  They  remarked 
with  enthusiasm  before  reaching  it,  "That  looks 
like  real  American  woods."  On  passing  'through 
the  outer  fringe  of  foliage,  however,  and  finding  that 
the  forest  trees  dtood  in  rows  like  an  apple  orchard, 
they  were  disappointed.  To  be  sure,  the  fact  that 
forest  trees,  mostly  beeches,  had  been  planted  and 
had  grown  to  tie  ;three  or  four  feet  in-diameter  was 
very  interesting,  "BuT  the  anticipated  charm  of  the 
woods  as  such  was  gone.  It  is  certainly  legitimate 


ARRANGEMENT  OF  PLANTING  61 

for  a  landscape-gardener  to  attempt  to  produce  this 
charm.  He  cannot  succeed  as  well  as  nature,  but 
he  can  sometimes  come  very  ne£Tl:o  doing  so,  and 
may  really  succeed  in  certain  details.  The  artist's 
saying,  "It  is  the  perfection  of  art-  to  conceal  art," 
is  applicable  to  landscape-gardening  and  is  certainly 
true.  When  rows  and  circles  are  discovered,  art 
is  not  concealed. 

What  has  been  said  in  regard  to  rows  for  trees 
and  shrubs  is  equally  applicable  to  herbaceous 
plants.  One  should  study  a  hillside  or  a  rocky 
ledge  covered  .with  columbines,  a  marsh  dotted 
with  lady-slippers,  a  sandy  ridge  covered  with 
lupines  and  puccoons,  the  carpet  of  anemones 
under  a  thorn-apple ;  there  are  no  rows  in  any  of 
these  examples,  yet  where  is  the  artificial  flower-bed 
that  can  compare  with  them  in  beauty  of  arrange- 
ment ? 

Although  this  rule  not  to  plant  in  rows  seems  so 
simple,  it  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  to  carry  out.  If 
told  to  the  man  setting  out  trees  or  other  plants, 
nine  times  out  of  ten  he  will  fail  to  observe  it.  He 
will  try,  but  his  trees  will  be  in  zigzags  (Fig.  12). 
The  lines  are  there  just  the  same,  only  one  line 
has  been  moved  half  a  space  forward.  It  seems 


62  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

absolutely  impossible  for  some  planters  to  escape 
straight  lines.  To  test  for  rows,  one  should  look 
at  a  plantation  from  every  direction.  Rows  make 
a  composition  look  stiff  and  artificial.  They  are 


FIG.  12.  —  THE  PLANTING  OF  BORDERS.  Upper  sketch  shows  irregular 
arrangement  of  trees  and  shrubs  in  border.  Lower  sketch  explains  an 
attempt  at  irregular  planting  which  results  in  two  rows.  Page  61. 

at  times  admirable,  as  in  a  body  of  soldiers,  but 
they  do  not  belong,  or  at  least  they  should  not 
take  a  dominant  part,  in  the  productions  of  those 
fine  arts  which  have  for  their  chief  charm  grace- 
fulness and  freedom.  Arrangement  does  not  depend 


ARRANGEMENT  OF   PLANTING 


altogether  on  things  that  are  planted.     Often  it  de- 
pends on  things  taken  out. 

"Plant  thick  and  thin  quick"  is  a  good  rule,  since 

^  •M»ll. 

it  gives  a  good  appearance  from  the  beginning  and 
an  opportunity  for 
preserving  the 
strongest  individ- 
ual plants./  The 
thinning,  however, 
may  not  be  con- 
fined to  things 
that  have  been 
set  out.  Where 
native  woods  exist, 
the  landscape-gar- 
dener will  surely 
take  advantage  of 
them  in  making 

his  plans,  and  he  will  do  the  same  with  any  existing 
trees  or  other  growth  standing  in  the  open  or  ex- 
tending along  fences  or  old  buildings  (Fig.  13). 
(  While  nature  is  the  best  teacher  and  does  some 
things  incomparably  well,  she  does  not  always  pro- 
duce the  most  artistic  effect,  at  least  from  man's 
point  of  view.  \  She  will  close  the  edge  of  a  wood  so 


FIG.  13.  —  THE  IRREGULARITY  OF  NATURE. 
Usually  dead  trees  should  be  removed,  but 
occasionally  one  is  so  picturesque  that  it 
should  be  retained.  An  old  red  cedar. 


64  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

tight  with  foliage  that  the  eye  cannot  penetrate  be- 
yond the  outer  covering.  She  will  soon  grow  a 
thicket  that  will  hide  the  most  magnificent  view. 
She  will  grow  a  vine  that  will  smother  the  most 
rare  and  valuable  tree.  In  such  cases,  the  judicious 
use  of  the  ax  will  greatly  help  nature's  own  arrange- 
ment. Usually  the  poorer  of  two  or  more  trees  can 
be  selected  for  cutting,  but  sometimes  one's  con- 
science will  require  the  removal  of  a  really  fine  tree. 

TTsna1]y     ft     lanr^ap^-garripnpr    js^making     pictures, 

no^_a^collection  of  fine  specimens,  or^a^jnu^giinx.  but 
this  will  not  preclude  using  the  very  best  of  trees 
when  they  are  in  the  right  places.  Indeed  a  design 
may  often  be  changed  from  that  originally  in  mind 
to  insure  that  an  existing  tree,  bush,  or  group  shall 
be  in  the  proper  place.) 

A  view  may  be  made/ to  appear  long  by  placing 
at  its  farther  end  plants  having  light-colored  foliage, 
like  that  of  the  royal  willow  or  the  so-called  Russian 
olive,  and  placing  near'  at  hand  plants  wi^h  darker 
leaves.  jTJ>is  is  only  using  the  same  device  employed 
by  painters,  engravers,  and  by  nature  herself.  Look 
at  any  photograph  of  scenery 'and  note  that  the 
distant  parts  are  indicated  by  lighter  tones.  Trns 
lighter  tone  of  far-away  objects  is  due  largely  to 


ARRANGEMENT  OF  PLANTING  65 

particles  in  the  air,  These  particles  reflect  light,  and 
the  farther  away  an  object  is,  the  more  particles 
intervene  so  that  more  light  comes  from  the  air  and 
less  from- the,  given  obje^t^When  air  is  very  clear, 
as  in  certain  mountainous  regions,  far-away  things 
seem  near  at  hand.  On  the  other  hand,  fog  makes 
objects  look  farther  away.  Fog  often  gives  delight- 
ful effects  by  separating  groups  at  various  distances 
from  the  observer.  It  places  light  curtains  behind 
near-by  trees,  thus  bringing  out  their  details  of 
branch  and  leaf,  and  it  hides  the  distance,  producing 
a  feeling  of  mystery  like  woods.  This  fact  might 
be  borne  in  mind  in  working  out  a  plan  ;  for  the 
planting  should  be  so  designed  as  to  be  attractive  in 
all  kinds  of  weather.  (  The  arrangement  of  the  plant- 
ing and  the  selection  of  the  material  to  be  used  should 
also  be  with  reference  to  the  seasons  of  the  year  and 
the  hours  of  the  day.  The  most  telling  effects  may 
be  desired  in  spring,  summer,  autumn,  or  even  in 
winter.  / 

Planting  should  be  arranged  with  plenty  of  open 
space  so  that  the  plants  may  be  seen  and  so 
they  may  be  developed  naturally  and  healthfully. 
(Tke  sky-line  and  the  various  outlines  below  it  should 
be  studied  carefully  and  plants  which  harmonize 


66  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

should  be  grouped  near  each  other./  Usually  a  group 
should  be  made  up  of  plants  which  come  into  leaf  at 
the  same  time  in  the  spring,  as  a  shrub  when  growth 
starts  late  may  look  dead  in  comparison  with  early 
shrubs  and  one  might  feel  tempted  to  cut  it  out. 

One  who  aspires  to  arrange  the  planting  for  a 
tract  of  land  wisely  should  study  the  plan  carefully 
on  the  ground  itself.  He  may  find  certain  unattrac- 
tive objects  to  be  planted  out,  like  barns,  ugly  build- 
ings, railway  yards,  and  scars  caused  by  cuts  in 
hillsides  or  by  white  retaining  walls.  On  the  other 
hand,  he  may  observe  that  by  cutting  away  some 
growth,  a  lovely  valley  may  be  opened  to  view,  or 
a  bit  of  the  sea,  a  river,  a  distant  village,  or  other 
objects  of  real  interest  will  suddenly  appear.  When 
this  is  the  case,  the  owner  of  a  small  tract  may  really 
own  all  the  land  he  can  see  in  the  sense  that  the 
pleasure  of  looking  at  it  cannot  be  taken  away  from 
him. 

To  arrange  plants  properly  one  must  know  them, 
know  how  they  look,  how  large  they  will  grow,  when 
they  leaf  out  in  the  spring  and  drop  their  leaves 
in  the  fall,  the  colors  they  put  on  at  various  times, 
the  date  of  blossoming  and  fruiting,  and  all  the  facts 
that  have  a  bearing  on  their  appearance.  He  must 


ARRANGEMENT  OF   PLANTING  67 

know  the  soil  each  species  likes  to  grow  in  and  the 
slope  most  favorable  to  its  growth.  Arrangement 
is  the  very  essence  of  landscape-gardening  and  may 
fill  a  lifetime  with  observation  and  study  and  also 
with  pleasure. ) 


CHAPTER  VI 
How  TO  PLANT 

ONE  may  plant  seeds,  seedlings  or  cuttings,  nursery 
stock  of  the  usual  sizes,  or  large  trees  with  balls  of 
earth  about  their  roots  weighing  in  some  cases 
many  tons.  Doubtless  the  reader  knows  how  to 
plant  seeds  :  drop  a  seed,  cover  it  with  a  little  earth, 
sometimes  very  little,  step  on  it  and  the  planting  is 
done.  Few,  however,  would  think  of  planting  seeds 
to  secure  a  grove  of  trees,  not  realizing  how  fast 
trees  really  grow ;  and  yet  there  are  oaks  in  the 
Arnold  Arboretum  at  Boston  so  large  that  a  man 
six  feet  tall  can  barely  reach  around  the  trunk  of 
one  of  them  at  the  height  of  his  arms  and  these  oaks 
were  raised  from  acorns  planted  by  Jackson  Daw- 
son  within  the  memory  of  persons  who  are  now  of 
middle  age.  But  to  attempt  to  raise  a  forest,  a 
grove,  or  even  a  group  of  trees  near  one's  house  from 
seeds  would  be  a  wasteful  process  from  man's  view- 
point (although  not  from  that  of  squirrels,  chip- 

68 


HOW  TO  PLANT  69 

-  munks,  mice,  and  blue-jays  that  would  eat  the  seeds) 
because  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  result. 

Seedling  trees  are  raised  in  a  nursery  where  they 
can  be  protected  and  cultivated.  It  is  often  wise  to 
plant  these  seedlings  in  permanent  plantings,  although 
it  might  be  difficult  to  convince  the  man  who  wished 
to  "see  a  tree  during  his  lifetime"  of  the  truth  of 
this  statement.  A  few  facts  in  this  connection  may 
be  of  value.  Small  evergreens  planted  after  a  man 
was  fifty  years  old  have  grown  to  be  seventy  feet 
high  while  he  could  still  see  them,  that  is  during 
a  period  of  about  thirty  years.  Willows,  cotton- 
woods,  and  soft  maples  have  grown  to  three  feet  in 
diameter  in  periods  ranging  from  thirty  to  forty 
years.  Elms  under  favorable  conditions  will  grow 
from  one-half  to  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter 
and  several  feet  in  height  each  year.  Even  oaks 
grow  with  considerable  rapidity.  Seedlings  cost 
very  little,  often  less  than  one  cent  apiece,  and  they 
will  grow  into  trees  worth  dollars  in  a  very  few  years. 

Seedlings  can  be  planted  by  sticking  a  spade 
into  the  ground  to  make  an  opening,  placing  the 
root  in  this  opening,  and  then  sticking  the  spade 
in  the  ground  again  and  pressing  the  earth  against 
the  roots  of  the  young  plant.  It  may  be  well  to 


70  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

carry  the  young  seedlings  with  the  roots  immersed 
in  a  pail  of  water,  and  it  is  advantageous  to  have  two 
persons  work  together  in  planting,  one  to  use  the 
spade  and  the  other  to  carry  the  plants  and  place 
them  in  the  earth.  Sometimes  "it  is  best  to  cut  the 
stems  of  the  seedlings  just  above  the  second  or  third 
bud  from  the  ground.  The  advisability  of  doing 
this,  however,  would  depend  on  the  kind  of  tree. 

Young  trees  as  well  as  old  deserve  admiration, 
and  there  is  always  pleasure  in  watching  a  grove 
develop. 

PLANTING    MEDIUM-SIZED    TREES 

Trees  of  nursery  size,  ranging  from  one-half  inch 
to  three  or  four  inches  in  diameter,  will  of  course 
usually  be  planted.  Such  trees  can  be  dug  with  a 
good  supply  of  roots  and  should  grow,  directly  from 
the  time  they  are  planted,  into  sturdy  specimens. 

In  planting  a  tree,  a  hole  should  be  made  somewhat 
wider  than  the  spread  of  its  roots  and  a  little  deeper 
than  these  roots  extended  below  the  surface  of  the 
ground  in  the  nursery.  Some  of  the  soil  will  then 
be  put  back  into  the  hole  in  a  finely  pulverized  con- 
dition, and  the  roots  placed  upon  this  refilled  earth 
at  a  height  with  regard  to  the  ground's  surface  a 


HOW  TO  PLANT  71 

little  above  that  which  it  had  before  being  moved. 
The  roots  will  be  spread  out  in  a  natural  position 
and  finely  pulverized  earth  sprinkled  in  among 
them,  the  tree  being  given  a  gentle  shaking  as  the 
earth  is  filled  back,  so  that  all  the  intervals  between 
the  roots  will  be  well  filled.  When  the  filling  is 
complete,  the  earth  should  be  packed  by  treading 
around  the  newly  planted  tree.  One  reason  for 
placing  the  tree  a  little  above  its  nursery  height  is 
that  the  ground  in  its  new  position  will  settle,  caus- 
ing the  tree  also  to  settle,  and  when  the  tree  is  firmly 
established  and  the  ground  about  it  compacted  by 
the  settlement  due  to  rains,  frosts,  and  the  passing 
of  the  seasons,  it  should  stand  in  the  position  it  would 
have  occupied  if  grown  from  seed  on  the  spot.  No 
mistake  is  more  frequently  made  than  that  of  plant- 
ing trees  too  deep.  Sometimes  trees  that  have 
died  are  found  to  be  planted  in  a  hole  like  a  post  with 
the  crown  of  the  roots  a  foot  or  more  below  the  sur- 
face. Such  trees  are  really  smothered  and  have 
little  chance  for  life. 

Just  before  planting,  the  roots  and  branches  of  a 
deciduous  tree  should  be  trimmed ;  the  roots  being 
cut  back  to  where  they  are  fresh  and  full  of  life  and 
the  branches  trimmed  to  reduce  the  number  of  buds 


72  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

in  proportion  to  the  loss  suffered  by  the  roots.  Large 
branches  ought  not  to  be  cut.  Usually  it  is  best  to 
confine  the  trimming  to  a  part  of  the  last  year's 
growth,  so  that  the  buds  which  start  will  be  less  than 
a  year  old.  It  is  sometimes  best  to  lean  a  tree  slightly 
in  the  direction  from  which  the  prevailing  winds 
come.  The  soil  in  which  a  tree  is  planted  should  be 
clean  and  the  air  which  it  contains  should  be  sweet 
and  pure.  The  earth  should,  of  course,  contain 
sufficient  plant-food  for  the  tree,  but  fresh  manure, 
street  sweepings,  and  decaying  matter  of  any  kind 
should  be  kept  from  contact  with  the  roots.  Leaky 
gas  mains  are  fatal  to  any  plant. 

PLANTING    LARGE    TREES 

Large  trees  should  be  planted  only  when  there  is 
some  decided  advantage  in  the  immediate  effect 
which  they  will  produce.  There  are  many  places, 
however,  where  this  advantage  will  exist.  A  new 
building  may  be  given  an  appearance  of  dignity  and 
age  by  the  planting  of  a  large  tree,  a  tree  one  or 
two  feet  in  diameter  or  sometimes  even  larger.  The 
effect  of  a  view  in  a  park  or  a  vista  extending  away 
from  a  house  may  justify  the  use  of  some  large  trees, 
which  frame  the  picture  that  is  to  be  developed.  The 


HOW  TO   PLANT  73 

planting  of  large  trees  or  large  bushes  and  vines  is 
almost  a  business  by  itself.  Various  wagons  have 
been  devised  for  this  work. 

The  important  points  to  observe  in  large-tree 
planting  are :  First,  to  obtain  the  largest  possible 
supply  of  roots. 

Second,  if  the  tree  is  trimmed  at  all  only  small 
branches  should  be  cut,  those  not  larger  than  the 
size  of  a  pencil,  usually. a  part  only  of  the  past  year's 
growth.  If  larger  branches  are  cut,  they  should  be 
those  in  the  interior  of  the  tree  which  are  unimpor- 
tant and  will  not  affect  the  general  outline.  When 
two  branches  cross  or  rub  against  each  other,  one 
of  them  should  be  removed.  Any  large  branch 
which  is  removed  should  be  cut  close  to  the  trunk 
or  larger  branch  from  which  it  springs. 

Third,  one  should  see  that  the  tree  is  planted  high, 
much  higher  with  reference  to  the  surface  than  it 
stood  before  being  moved.  This  is  important  not 
only  for  its  healthy  growth  but  also  for  its  appear- 
ance. If  one  looks  at  the  trees  which  have  grown 
naturally  in  woods  or  in  open  fields,  it  will  be  seen 
how  the  earth  rises  gently  toward  the  trunk.  This 
comes  about  with  the  enlargement  of  the  roots,  which 
raise  the  earth.  A  tree  which  meets  the  earth  with 


74  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

spreading  buttresses  is  far  better  in  appearance 
than  one  which  stands  like  a  post.  When  the  drain- 
age is  away  from  the  trunk,  the  water  from  rains 
and  snow  settles  in  the  ground  where  the  fine  roots 
are  feeding  and  where  the  moisture  will  do  the  most 
good. 

Fourth,  to  plant  a  tree  is  expensive.  To  pre- 
vent the  waste  of  this  expense,  the  tree  must  live 
and  to  insure  its  life  it  should  receive  care.  The 
transplanting  of  a  large  tree  is  like  a  major  operation 
at  a  hospital,  where  the  patient  must  remain  under 
observation  and  skillful  treatment  for  some  time 
after  he  is  operated  on.  Necessarily,  in  transplant- 
ing big  trees,  large  portions  of  the  roots  will  be  cut 
off,  the  fine  feeding  roots  that  are  far  from  the  trunks 
—  the  roots  which  absorb  moisture  and  furnish  the 
tree  its  life-giving  sap.  This  supply  of  moisture  of 
which  the  tree  has  been  deprived  must  be  replaced 
by  artificial  watering  with  a  copious  supply  of  water 
so  that  it  will  penetrate  the  ground  to  the  lowest 
roots,  not  the  watering  which  comes  from  a  sprinkler, 
which  only  penetrates  a  fraction  of  an  inch.  To 
make  sure  that  the  water  thus  supplied  reaches  its 
proper  destination,  pockets  or  basins  should  be  made 
in  the  surface  of  the  ground  above  the  roots  to  be 


HOW  TO  PLANT  75 

fed.  When  a  newly  planted  tree  stands  on  level 
ground,  such  a  basin  will  be  circular  in  form,  the 
deepest  part  of  the  basin  being  the  circumference 
of  a  circle  just  over  the  outer  ends  of  the  roots,  the 
ground  about  the  tree  forming  a  low,  flat  cone 
within  this  circle.  When  the  tree  stands  on  a 
hillside,  the  pockets  must  be  so  arranged  as  to 
retain  some  water  for  the  roots  on  the  upper  side  of 
the  trunk. 

Fifth,  a  large  tree  should  be  anchored  against 
strong  winds.  Usually  the  ball  of  earth  about  the 
roots  should  be  heavy  enough  to  prevent  the  tree's 
overthrow,  but  as  a  precaution  against  unusual  winds 
or  tornadoes  strong  wires  or  cables  should  hold  the 
tree  in  place  by  being  attached  to  iron  bolts  or  eyes 
screwed  into  the  trunk  high  above  the  ground  and 
anchored  to  heavy  posts  or  other  stable  objects. 
Sometimes  anchors  like  those  employed  by  telegraph 
•or  telephone  companies  may  be  used.  In  this  con- 
nection, planters  should  be  cautioned  against  putting 
wires  around  the  trunks  of  trees.  Even  when  the 
bark  is  protected  by  strips  of  wood  or  rubber  hose, 
damage  is  liable  to  result  to  the  tree  from  an  attempt 
to  hold  it  in  this  manner  (Fig.  14). 

Sixth,  when  the  newly  planted   tree  is  well    es- 


76 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


tablished,  the  ridges  that  have  formed  the  basins 
for  irrigation  should  be  removed  and  also  the  wires 
or  cables  that  have  been  holding  the  tree  in  place. 

It  is  not  necessary  always 
to  remove  the  bolts,  as  these 
will  do  no  harm  in  the  in- 
terior of  the  trunk.  The 
growth  of  the  tree  will  soon 
reach  beyond  the  bolts.  The 
surface  of  the  ground  about 
the  tree  where  the  ridges 
have  been  removed  should 
be  brought  to  a  natural 
grade  and  then  clothed  with 
grass  or  other  suitable  ground- 
FIG.  14. -GUYING  TREES,  covering.  The  change  to  a 

"A"     shows     best     method.  i  r  11 

"B"  and  «c"  are  objection-  natural  surface  may  be  made 
able*  gradually    so    that    the    tree 

may   by   slow   degrees    become   accustomed    to    its 

new  conditions. 

PLANTING    BUSHES    AND    HERBACEOUS    SUBJECTS 

The  remarks  with  regard  to  the  moving  of  large 
trees  are  applicable  also  to  the  moving  of  large  bushes 
and  vines.  The  transplanting  of  all  plants  of  woody 


HOW  TO  PLANT  77 

growth  should  be  during  the  dormant  period,  that 
is,  when  the  leaves  have  fallen,  in  temperate  climates 
usually  from  the  beginning  or  middle  of  October  until 
the  following  April  or  May.  The  expense  of  moving 
plants  with  frozen  balls  is,  of  course,  much  greater 
than  when  the  ground  is  unfrozen,  but  occasionally 
this  extra  expense  is  justified. 

Evergreens  which  grow  in  sand  are  more  likely  to 
succeed  if  transplanted  with  a  frozen  ball,  but  de- 
ciduous trees  even  of  the  largest  size  are  successfully 
transplanted  in  fall  or  spring.  The  relative  advan- 
tages of  fall  and  spring  planting  vary  in  different 
localities.  In'  some  places,  fall  planting  seems  to 
succeed  better  than  spring,  even  with  such  tender 
plants  as  Hall's  honeysuckle  ;  while  in  severe  climates 
certain  roses  and  other  shrubs  not  altogether  hardy 
should  only  be  planted  out  in  spring.  Herbaceous 
plants  should  also  be  transplanted  during  their  dor- 
mant period,  but  with  them  this  period  varies  from 
June  through  July  and  August  and  around  the  year 
until  March,  April,  or  even  May.  The  early  spring 
flowers  which  utilize  the  sunshine  of  March,  April 
and  May  before  this  sunshine  is  cut  off  by  the  leaves 
of  trees  and  shrubs,  often  ripen  by  June  or  July  and 
remain  dormant  until  the  following  spring.  These 


78  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

include  blood-roots,  trilliums,  adder's-tongue  and 
others  which  can  be  planted  from  July  until  the 
end  of  the  season.  Other  plants  which  occupy  open 
spaces  and  bloom  later  ripen  and  become  dormant 
at  various  dates  until  the  ground  freezes. 

CARE    OF    PLANT    MATERIALS 

Valuable  directions  for  the  preparation  and  treat- 
ment of  the  soil  and  the  care  which  different  plants 
require  are  usually  given  in  nursery  and  seed  cata- 
logues, but  some  additional  suggestions  may  be 
given  here. 

When  one  goes  to  unpastured  woods  or  looks  at 
the  native  growth  along  roadsides  or  old  rail  fences 
or  stone  walls,  he  sees  plants  that  have  no  care  and 
are  generally  healthy  and  vigorous.  This  condition 
should  prevail  and  often  does  exist  in  tree  and  shrub- 
bery borders.  Groups  of  lilacs  may  easily  be  found 
which  have  received  no  attention  for  thirty  or  forty 
years,  and  they  are  vigorous  and  each  year  have  good- 
sized  leaves  and  an  abundance  of  flowers  (Fig.  15). 
This  is  true  also  of  many  honeysuckles,  syringas, 
viburnums,  and  other  shrubs,  and  is  the  ideal  con- 
dition ;  but  when  trees  and  shrubs  are  first  planted 
they  need  care  until  they  become  well  established. 


HOW  TO  PLANT 


79 


80  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  best  care  which  can  be  given  is  to  keep  the  soil 
well  cultivated  like  that  of  a  newly  planted  corn- 
field, or  a  well  tilled  orchard.  With  such  care,  young 
nursery  stock  will  rarely  require  watering.  If  for 
any  reason  this  cultivation  cannot  be  given,  a  thor- 
ough mulching  would  come  next  in  value.  Culti- 
vating and  mulching  are  primarily  for  the  purpose 
of  keeping  the  soil  beneath  moist,  and  incidentally  to 
kill  the  weeds  which  would  rob  the  newly  planted 
shrubs  of  food  and  water. 

After  trees  and  shrubs  are  well  established,  trim- 
ming is  likely  to  disfigure  them.  The  lower  branches 
of  shrubs  are  really  the  most  important.  They 
spread  out  over  the  ground,  upon  which  they  often 
rest.  They  help  to  hold  the  mulching  of  leaves 
which  should  cover  the  ground  underneath  them. 
To  trim  the  outer  branches,  allowing  only  the  central 
stems  to  remain,  gives  a  shrub  an  unattractive  ap- 
pearance, making  it  look  "stemmy."  It  is  also  bad 
for  the  health  of  the  shrub,  since  it  allows  the  wind 
to  blow  away  the  mulching  and  dry  out  the  ground. 
Trees  growing  in  the  open  seldom  need  any  trimming 
to  improve  their  outlines  or  appearance.  Dead 
branches  should  be  removed  and  trees  should  be 
trimmed  for  convenience.  If  they  border  a  drive, 


HOW  TO   PLANT  81 

the  lower  branches  must  not  interfere  with  auto- 
mobiles or  other  vehicles.  If  their  branches  spread 
over  a  walk,  they  should  be  out  of  the  way  of  um- 
brellas, but  a  tree  out  upon  a  lawn,  placed  there 
primarily  as  a  thing  of  beauty,  should  be  allowed  to 
grow  in  its  own  way,  with  its  lower  branches  touching 
the  ground  if  it  is  its  nature  to  do  so. 

A  very  common  mistake  is  to  "top"  a  tree.  To 
cut  off  all  of  the  upper  part  of  the  tree  not  only  dis- 
figures it  but  often  leads  to  its  death.  Thousands 
of  maples,  cottonwoods  and  other  trees  have  been 
killed  by  this  treatment  because  decay  has  set  in 
where  the  trunks  have  been  cut  and  gradually  ex- 
tended to  the  bottom  of  the  tree.  The  trunk  has 
thus  been  weakened,  so  that  it  has  been  easily  broken 
and  destroyed  by  storms. 

Another  exasperating  treatment  when  it  is  neces- 
sary to  remove  trees  is  to  girdle  them  and  allow  them 
to  stand  dead  and  naked  for  an  indefinite  period. 
Such  trees  excite  pity  for  the  tree  and  indignation 
for  the  girdler. 

With  thrifty  plants  and  good  preparation  of  the 
soil,  the  cultivation  which  has  been  recommended 
for  new  plantations  will  be  unnecessary  after  one 
or  two  years.  In  orchards  in  which  large  fruit  is 


82  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

desired  and  in  which  a  tree  is  forced  to  do  its  utmost, 
thorough  cultivation  may  be  required  year  after  year, 
but  with  other  trees  and  shrubs  which  are  for  orna- 
ment continual  cultivation  and  spading  of  the  ground 
defeats  the  object  in  planting  them.  Spading  and 
forking  up  the  ground  breaks  many  of  the  roots, 
requires  much  labor,  and  the  result  is  not  beautiful. 
A  mulching  of  leaves  is  not  offensive  even  in  winter 
when  stems  are  bare,  and  the  decay  of  this  mulch 
will  usually  produce  sufficient  plant-food.  Even 
when  additional  food  is  required,  there  are  ways  of 
administering  it  without  disfiguring  the  surface  of 
the  land. 

The  roots  of  nearly  all  woody  plants  extend  very 
deep,  frequently  to  permanent  moisture.  When 
one  looks  at  a  hillside  which  is  brown  from  dry  wea- 
ther, the  trees,  bushes  and  vines  are  usually  green 
and  fresh  looking.  Occasionally,  however,  the  trees 
even  in  a  natural  forest  suffer  from  drought.  When, 
trees  in  home  grounds,  parks  or  other  planted  areas 
suffer  from  an  unusual  or  protracted  drought,  water- 
ing may  be  necessary.  In  such  cases,  sprinkling 
will  not  answer  the  purpose.  A  thorough  soaking 
of  the  ground  down  to  the  lowest  roots  is  needed. 
After  such  a  watering,  a  week  or  ten  days  should 


HOW  TO  PLANT  83 

elapse  before  another  is  given.  Large  trees  and 
bushes  that  are  newly  planted  must  have  thor- 
ough watering  if  they  are  to  flourish.  Such  water- 
ing, however,  should  not  extend  late  in  the  season. 
Woody  plants  should  not  be  made  to  grow  in  tem- 
perate climates  after  the  first  of  September.  The 
wood  must  be  given  a  chance  to  ripen  in  order  to 
go  through  the  winter  without  harm.  Peach  orchards 
have  sometimes  been  killed  by  cultivation  which 
produced  a  late  growth. 


CHAPTER  VII 
WATER 

THE  land  thus  far  considered  in  connection  with 
planting  and  the  development  of  landscape  has 
been  the  ordinary  well-drained  land  that  is  suscep- 
tible of  cultivation.  When  there  is  an  excess  of 
water,  various  conditions  may  develop  which  will 
require  special  treatment. 

MARSHES 

When  land  is  level  or  spongy,  water  may  be  re- 
tained, producing  a  swampy  condition.  Swamps 
are  not  unfrequently  found  at  watersheds,  so  that 
water  may  flow  from  a  swamp  in  two  or  more  direc- 
tions. Swamps  in  such  locations  are  very  useful  in 
retaining  water  for  supplying  springs  issuing  from 
hillsides  below  and  for  keeping  up  a  continuous 
flow  in  streams.  Swamps  are  not  only  useful  in 
this  way,  but  they  are  often  beautiful  features  in  a 
landscape.  They  insure  open  space,  across  which 

84 


WATER  85 

one  often  sees  a  beautiful  fringe  of  foliage.  In  the 
swamp  itself  many  beautiful  plants  are  likely  to 
find  a  congenial  home,  among  these  being  iris,  cat- 
tails, many  kinds  of  sedges,  arrowleaf,  cardinal 
flowers,  marsh  marigolds,  pitcher-plants,  sundews, 
swamp  honeysuckle,  ferns,  astilbes,  clethra,  Joe- 
Pye  weed  and  other  eupatoriums,  various  grasses, 
and  sometimes  such  showy  plants  as  lady's-slippers 
and  other  orchids. 

Marshes  are  often  especially  beautiful  in  autumn 
when  their  abundant  vegetation  and  the  leaves  of 
surrounding  trees  and  bushes  are  rich  in  color. 
There  is  hardly  any  better  place  than  the  edge  of 
a  marsh  for  the  study  of  marginal  planting.  Here 
one  sees  interesting  bays,  delightful  grading  of  ver- 
dure from  the  sedges  to  swamp  roses,  winterberries, 
poison  sumacs,  larches,  red  maples  and  giant  oaks. 
A  marsh  is  indeed  often  a  second  stage  of  a  lake  and 
sometimes  conceals  a  lake  underneath,  when  it  is 
known  as  a  quaking  bog.  To  a  landscape-gardener, 
the  value  of  marshes,  as  of  all  other  natural  landscape 
features,  lies  in  the  hints  and  the  suggestions  they 
give  for  the  treatment  of  similar  situations. 

If  there  is  a  piece  of  wet  land  on  the  area  to  be 
studied  and  planned,  there  are  three  obvious  treat- 


86  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

ments  to  be  considered.  The  wet  land  can  be  ex- 
cavated, thus  forming  a  lake,  or  it  can  be  filled  up, 
forming  ordinary  ground,  or  it  can  be  retained  as 
a  marsh  and  developed  by  introducing  the  beauti- 
ful plants  found  growing  in  such  situations.  It 
would  naturally  be  suitable  for  a  bog-garden  which 
can  be  made  a  beautiful  part  of  a  landscape. 

SPRINGS 

The  waters  from  rains  and  melting  snow  which 
enter  the  ground  at  relatively  high  levels  may 
descend  until  some  impervious  stratum  is  reached, 
and  then  flow  out  as  springs  where  the  impervious 
stratum  meets  a  ravine,  a  valley,  or  the  bank  of  a 
stream.  Springs  vary  in  size  from  a  tiny  trickling 
rill  that  will  merely  moisten  the  earth  to  a  large 
river  which  issues  from  its  source  in  such  volume 
as  to  be  navigable  from  its  beginning ;  but  whatever 
its  size,  a  spring  may  be  an  interesting  feature  in  a 
landscape.  The  smallest  one  may  moisten  the  earth 
enough  for  marsh  marigolds,  forget-me-nots  and  iris, 
those  somewhat  larger  may  spread  out  into  clear- 
pools,  reflecting  jewel-weeds  and  gentians,  or  may. 
tumble  over  bowlders  and  make  cheerful  sounds.  A 
spring  is  an  acquisition  to  be  prized.  Its  treatment 


WATER  87 

calls  for  some  skill.  It  should  either  appear  as  na- 
ture's own  production,  as  though  man  had  done 
nothing  to  it,  or,  if  some  visible  work  of  man's  is 
necessary,  this  should  seem  to  serve  the  spring  and 
be  subordinate  to  it.  Springs  that  have  sufficient 
fall  and  volume  may  be  valuable  as  sources  of  water 
supply,  either  through  gravity  when  at  a  sufficiently 
high  elevation,  or  when  lower  by  means  of  hydraulic 
rams  or  other  pumping  devices. 

Some  shade  goes  well  with  a  spring,  the  two  to- 
gether producing  a  grateful  effect  of  coolness  on  a 
hot  summer  day.  Overhanging  lindens,  birches,  hem- 
locks, alders,  red  maples  and  red-branched  dogwoods 
seem  appropriate  for  producing  shade,  but  any  tree 
or  shrub  leaning  out  from  a  bank  immediately  above 
a  spring  makes  an  effect  which  an  artist  would  like 
to  sketch.  A  spring  may  give  individuality  to  a 
home,  a  park,  a  city  square,  a  country  road  or  a  city 
street. 

When  the  water  supply  is  artificial  and  the  water 
is  forced  from  manifestly  artificial  forms,  the  spring 
becomes  a  fountain.  Fountains  of  many  different 
forms  have  been  used  from  time  immemorial  and 
often  make  delightful  features  of  buildings  and  ter- 
races. 'The  beauty  of  a  spring,  however,  would  seem 


88  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

to  justify  its  introduction  into  scenery  even  when 
the  water  must  be  supplied  by  some  prosaic  pump. 
The  pump,  however,  should  be  located  in  the  city 
waterworks  or  some  distant  building  or  hidden 
underground,  and  the  water  come  from  an  unseen 
source  and  be  given  the  appearance  of  a  natural 
flow. 

STREAMS 

The  water  from  springs  unites  with  surface  water 
from  rains  and  snow  to. form  at  first  small  streams, 
which  in  turn  unite  to  form  larger  ones,  and  these 
again  unite  to  form  rivers.  Small  streams,  known 
as  rivulets,  brooks,  creeks,  and  runs,  are  very  inter- 
esting features  when  they  exist  as  nature  made  them. 
They  are  not  only  interesting  in  a  landscape,  but 
they  frequently  have  waterfalls  and  rapids  that  make 
sounds  pleasing  to  the  ear.  When  first  discovered, 
they  are  supplied  with  clear  water  as  a  rule  and  are 
bordered  with  vegetation  which  includes  mosses, 
liverworts,  many  kinds  of  herbaceous  plants,  vines, 
and  overhanging  bushes.  Sometimes  they  spread 
out  to  form  placid  pools,  and  again  they  are  crowded 
in  narrow  gorges  through  which  they  rush  with  great 
energy.  Such  clear  limpid  streams  usually  are  found 
in  the  country,  seldom  in  a  village  or  a  city,  but  they 


WATER  89 

might  be  kept  clear,  sparkling,  and  most  attractive 
even  in  a  thickly  settled  community. 

Cities  support  large  parks  for  the  recreation  and 
pleasure    of   their    inhabitants.     They   have    costly 
parkways    or    boulevards.     Why    should    they    not 
also  have  delightful  walks  ?     Walking  is  said  to  be 
the  most  healthful  of  exercises.     It  is  certainly  the 
least  expensive,  and  the  border  of  a  small  stream  ex- 
tending through  a  parkway  would  be  a  most  inter- 
esting place  for  a  walk.     The  bordering  vegetation 
might  be  retained.    The  parkway  might  fit  the  topog- 
raphy, being  narrow  where  the  land  on  either  side 
was  useful  for  buildings  or  home  grounds,  and  wider 
where  the  stream  ran  through  a  ravine  or, a  valley 
unfitted  without  great  expense  for  buildings  or  homes. 
In  many  cases,  such  a  parkway  might  be  accessible 
only  by  means  of  the  path  just  proposed.     In  other 
cases,  when  width  and  direction  warranted,  a  drive 
might  be  made  in  addition  to  the  path.     Speaking 
from  a  practical  standpoint,  a  development  of  this 
kind  might  add  many  dollars  to  the  value  of  real 
estate  on  either  side,  instead  of  depreciating  these 
values  by  having  the  banks  of  the  stream  serve  as  a 
dumping  place  for  ashes,  tin  cans  and  other  refuse. 
The  writer  can  recall  streams,  usually  known  by 


90  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

such  names  as  "Cold  Brook,"  and  "Silver  Creek," 
which  once  were  as  beautiful  as  nature  could 
make.  They  were  in  the  country  near  a  growing 
city.  Gradually  the  native  growth  along  their 
borders  was  all  destroyed.  Then  the  areas  of 
bordering  land  became  pastures  and  the  streams 
during  high  water  began  to  wash  away  the  land 
on  either  side,  so  that  they  grew  more  and  more 
crooked  and  the  bare  earth  exposed  gave  them 
an  unsightly  appearance..  Then  streets  were  de- 
veloped near  them,  and  their  banks  were  further 
disfigured  by  the  dumping  of  refuse  of  all  kinds. 
This  was  often  done  clandestinely  in  spite  of 
warning  signs,  the  refuse  including  not  only  ashes 
and  tin  cans  mentioned  above,  but  old  bed  springs, 
broken  dishes,  furniture  and  dead  animals.  Finally 
the  streams  were  replaced  with  large  sewers  and  so 
the  beauty  of  the  original  charming  features  of  the 
native  landscape  was  lost,  save  in  memory,  to  the 
present  generation,  and  lost  completely  to  all  fu- 
ture inhabitants. 

Cities  are  willing  to  spend  liberally,  even  medium- 
sized  cities  spending  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars 
and  larger  cities  not  hesitating  at  millions,  for  the 
purpose  of  developing  great  parks.  Such  expendi- 


WATER  91 

tures  are  in  accordance  with  good  judgment  and 
wise  foresight,  but  the  retention  of  open  running 
streams  with  all  the  beauty  originally  found 
along  their  margins  would  be  just  as  wise.  Walks 
along  the  borders  of  such  streams  in  going  to 
and  from  one's  work  would  give  a  daily  pleasure 
(Fig.  1 6).  Seats  arranged  within  sound  of  a  water- 
fall or  commanding  a  view  along  a  stretch  of 
running  water  fringed  v/ith  overhanging  willows 
would  make  ideal  resting  places.  Occasionally 
such  streams  are  found  within  the  boundaries  of 
great  parks,  and  although  these  parks  are  developed 
for  the  production  and  preservation  of  beautiful 
scenery,  they  contain  no  features  more  attractive 
than  these  lively  brooks.  Why  not  keep  such  fea- 
tures (active  running  streams)  in  intimate  relation 
with  the  homes  of  a  great  city  ?  They  require  but 
little  land,  scarcely  more  than  the  parkway  along 
the  side  of  a  broad  street.  If  properly  treated,  the 
care  would  be  inexpensive  and  the  appreciation  thus 
shown  for  nature  would  make  a  valuable  reputation 
for  any  community  (Fig.  17). 

What  has  been  stated  about  small  streams  can 
be  said  with  even  greater  force  of  larger  ones.  They 
may  have  been  innocent,  harmless  and  beautiful 


92 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


FIG.  -16.  —  THE  WATER  IN  THE  LANDSCAPE.  One  of  the  streams  as.  beautiful 
as  nature  can  make.  Small  streams  when  first  discovered  are  supplied 
with  clear  water  and  bordered  with  vegetation. 


WATER 


93 


when  the  country  was  new,  but  with  its  development, 
with  the  cutting  away  of  woods  and  the  denuding 
of  their  banks,  they  become  destructive  and  danger- 
ous. Often  the  bottom  lands  of  medium-sized  streams 
become  waste  land  after  the  destruction  of  the  forest. 


FIG.  17.  —  THE  UTILIZING  OF  A  STREAM.     Sketch  showing  parkway  in  city 
following  course  of  brook. 

The  freshets  gouge  out  the  banks  and  hillsides  con- 
fining the  stream,  and  distribute  the  material,  sand, 
gravel,  and  clay,  upon  the  flooded  land,  making  it  use- 
less for  agriculture.  The  swollen  creeks  and  rivers  tear 
out  bridges,  causing  great  loss  and  inconvenience. 
The  bottom  land  is  really  rich  in  plant-food,  and  usu- 
ally has  abundant  moisture.  The  valleys  are  warm 


94  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

in  summer,  so  that  trees  grow  to  great  size.  If  it 
was  merely  a  question  of  dollars,  a  forest  growth 
covering  the  bottom  lands  and  steep  hillsides  along 
our  smaller  rivers  would  have  paid  well,  since  the 
value  of  the  yearly  growth  would  be  more  than  an 
ordinary  farm  crop.  But  one  should  also  con- 
sider the  beauty  which  such  a  growth  would 
insure. 

As  seen  from  a  balloon  or  flying  machine,  the 
courses  of  streams  would  be  shown  by  the  irregular 
growth  of  forest.  As  observed  from  adjoining  farms? 
there  would  be  bays  and  promontories  of  foliage, 
giving  pleasing  lights  and  shadows.  There  would 
be  a  beautiful  sky-line. 

The  bordering  growth  would  show  at  the  extreme 
height  the  tops  of  oaks,  tulip  trees,  elms,  maples, 
ash  trees  of  various  kinds,  sycamores,  beeches,  lin- 
dens, which,  in  any  of  the  middle  states,  might  reach 
a  height  of  over  one  hundred  feet  and  have  trunks 
with  diameters  ranging  from  three  to  five  feet.  The 
lower  growth  would  include  ironwoods,  blue  beeches, 
thorn-apples,  crab-apples,  red-buds,  dogwoods,  vi- 
burnums, hazel  bushes,  elderberries,  roses,  wild  crabs, 
Virginia  creepers,  bittersweet,  goldenrod,  asters,  and 
other  plants,  producing  a  growth  so  beautiful  that 


WATER 


95 


it  would  be  the  envy  of  the  designers  and  frequenters 
of  public  parks. 

If  forest  belts  of  this  kind,  extending  along  all  the 
streams,  could  be  public  property  under  the  control 
of  an  able  man,  with  the  help  of  intelligent  and  en- 
thusiastic assistants,  it  would  be  a  great  asset  for 


FIG.  18.  —  THE  SAVING  OF  THE  WATERWAY.     Sketch  showing  bird's-eye  view 
of  wooded  growth  along  borders  of  a  stream. 

a  country  (Fig.  18).  The  gain  to  adjoining  farms 
would  be  greater  than  the  loss.  All  neighborhoods 
would  have  comparatively  near  at  hand  beautiful 
park-like  areas  to  visit  for  a  holiday.  There  would 
be  picnic  places,  swimming  holes,  canoe  courses,  fish- 
ing, and  a  chance  to  study  wild  growth.  Such  areas 


96  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

would  be  refuges  for  birds  and  wild  flowers.  They 
would  furnish  places  for  studying  many  things  that 
would  add  interest  to  life.  They  would  perpetuate 
for  future  generations  the  many  natural  charms  which 
have  delighted  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  past  gener- 
ation, charms  which  are  now  lost  in  many  places, 
but  which  might  be  restored  with  advantage. 

The  assistants  who  would  have  charge  of  definite 
stretches  of  the  river  forests  just  described  would  be 
equipped  for  their  work  by  being  especially  trained 
as  landscape-gardeners  and  foresters.  The  two  pro- 
fessions can  well  be  combined  in  one  for  work  of  this 
kind.  An  assistant  with  this  training  might  have 
charge  of  a  stretch  of  many  miles  of  forest  border- 
ing our  waterways.  He  would  direct  laborers  who 
would  grow  to  love  their  work.  This  work  would 
consist  in  cutting  certain  trees  and  shrubs,  the  re- 
moval of  which  would  improve  the  general  effect  or 
benefit  the  better  trees  and  shrubs  which  remained. 
The  material  cut  would  in  many  cases  produce  fire- 
wood, which  would  have  some  value,  and  at  times 
trees  which  had  reached  maturity  would  be  cut  for 
saw  logs  which  would  produce  good  lumber.  The 
small  branches  and  refuse  could  be  burned  on  adjoin- 
ing farms,  where  the  ashes  would  make  a  good  fer- 


WATER  97 

tilizer.  It  is  hardly  to  be  expected  that  such  forests 
would  be  self-supporting,  but  they  would  cost  so 
little  that  the  pleasure  they  would  give  would  be 
obtained  at  a  very  low  price.  The  forest  growth 
would  protect  the  river  banks  and  hillsides  and  also 
the  bridges  and  roads,  probably  saving  each  town- 
ship far  more  than  the  cost  of  maintenance. 

Larger  rivers,  where  they  pass  through  cities, 
should  be  bordered  with  streets.  Their  banks  would 
then  be  controlled  by  the  city  authorities  and  might 
be  placed  under  the  supervision  of  park  commissioners. 
The  buildings  fronting  such  streets  would  have  the 
advantage  of  beautiful  scenery.  Many  instances 
might  be  given  of  the  added  value  to  real  estate  com- 
manding views  of  attractive  landscapes.  For  office 
buildings,  the  better  class  of  shops,  and  many  public 
buildings,  locations  on  these  river  streets  might  be 
decidedly  advantageous.  Strangers  visiting  cities, 
as  well  as  the  inhabitants,  often  seek  the  bridges  to 
look  up  and  down  the  river.  The  arrangement  just 
described  with  well  planted  river  banks  furnishing 
a  setting  for  good  buildings  would  be  a  great  improve- 
ment over  what  is  frequently  seen.  Too  often  the 
banks  are  entirely  denuded  of  vegetation  and  strewn 
with  pieces  of  tin,  broken  crockery,  ashes  and  cinders 


98  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

and  other  refuse  dumped  from  the  rear  end  of  stores, 
factories  and  other  buildings  which  face  away  from 
the  river  (Figs.  19  and  20). 

For  certain  kinds  of  business,  it  is  true  that  some 
concentration    of    traffic    is    desirable ;    that  streets 


FIG.  19.  —  THE  SPOILING  OF  THE  RIVERS.  Large  rivers  where  they  pass 
through  cities  should  be  bordered  with  streets.  Their  banks  would  then 
be  controlled  by  the  city  authorities  and  might  be  placed  under  the  super- 
vision of  park  commissioners. 

should  not  be  too  wide ;  that  one-sided  streets  are 
objectionable  and  that  city  squares  which  make  such 
streets  really  depreciate  values.  Nevertheless,  there 
is  a  value  in  broad  open  spaces,  a  value  not  always 
appreciated.  An  occupant  of  an  office  takes  delight 
in  a  view  to  the  country,  to  the  ocean  or  other  large 
body  of  water,  or  to  any  clear  extensive  space. 

It  is  one  of  the  attributes  of  a  river  that  it  preserves 
an  unobstructed  stretch  of  opening.  This  space 
should  count  as  one  of  the  assets  of  a  city.  How 


WATER  99 

can  it  be  made  most  effective  ?  If  a  street  extends 
along  each  side  of  the  river,  all  the  persons  using 
these  streets  will  have  long  views  up  and  down  its 
course,  views  whose  interest  may  be  enhanced  by 
well-designed  bridges  or  by  beautiful  buildings  with 
groups  of  trees,  belts  of  shrubs,  vines  and  herbaceous 
plants  so  arranged  as  to  frame  in  or  make  a  setting 


FIG.  20. —  THE  VIOLATION  OF  BEAUTY.  A  large  river  which  passes  through 
the  center  of  a  flourishing  city  with  a  large  population.  The  refuse- 
covered  bank  is  typical  of  many  American  cities. 

for  the  objects  and  spaces  one  wishes  to  see.  These 
river  streets  might  extend  into  the  country  as  river 
roads  and  have  the  advantage  of  attractive  scenery, 
easy  grades  and  directness.  Such  locations  are  fre- 
quently selected  by  engineers  for  railroads,  and  they 
would  be  equally  advantageous  for  pleasure  driving 
and  ordinary  traffic  (Fig.  21).  Streets  are  like 
rivers  in  preserving  long  stretches  of  open  space. 
When  the  street  spaces  are  separated  from  the 


TOO 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


FIG.  21.  — UTILIZING  THE  RIVER-SIDE.     The  bank  of  a  river  is  as  suitable  for 
a  road  as  for  a  railway. 


WATER  J  101 

river  space,  they  add  nothing  to  the  effectiveness 
of  the  latter.  This  is  the  case  where  buildings 
intervene.  On  the  other  hand,  where  the  street 
spaces  join  that  of  the  river,  they  add  materially 
to  its  value  in  the  landscape. 

The  arrangement  recommended  need  not  interfere 
with  using  the  river  as  a  source  of  power,  since  the 
power  can  easily  be  carried  on  a  wire  to  any  suitable 
place  for  a  factory.  The  construction  of  dams, 
while  interfering  with  the  effect  of  running  water, 
may  sometimes  substitute  for  this  the  reflections  of 
still  water  and  a  desirable  place  for  boating.  When 
a  dam  is  placed  above  a  city  and  the  water  of  the 
river  is  carried  in  a  canal  to  some  lower  point  for  the 
development  of  power,  the  normal  flow  of  water 
through  the  river  channel  below  the  dam  is,  of  course, 
reduced.  Some  compensation  for  this  loss  of  river 
beauty  due  to  lack  of  water  might  be  obtained  by 
separating  the  river-bed  into  deeper  channels  and 
islands,  the  latter  to  be  planted  with  low-growing 
willows  or  other  forms  of  vegetation  that  would  not 
be  injured  by  occasional  freshets.  The  river-bed 
would  thus  become  a  kind  of  water  park  on  which 
one  would  look  from  the  bordering  streets  and  from 
the  bridges.  If  a  dam  is  placed  below  a  city,  the 


102 :^ :       '^LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

river,  where  crossed  by  bridges  and  bordered  by 
streets,  becomes  like  a  lake  in  having  comparatively 
still  water  which  will  reflect  the  arches  and  the  foliage 
flanking  the  abutments  and  covering  the  earth  em- 
bankments or  hanging  over  the  walls  that  stretch 
from  bridge  to  bridge. 

In  some  ways,  a  dam  below  a  city  is  preferable 
to  one  above.  It  saves  the  expense  of  a  canal  and 
the  bridges  that  span  it.  It  allows  the  bordering 
streets  to  lie  close  to  the  embankment  where  they 
will  command  the  best  views.  It  provides  boating 
close  at  hand  where  employees  and  others  could  get 
delightful  exercise  even  during  the  brief  hour  or  so 
allowed  for  luncheon.  It  would  also  furnish  a  place 
for  swimming.  Since  the  level  of  the  water  would 
be  reasonably  stationary,  the  effect  of  the  overhanging 
branches  of  groups  of  trees  and  the  bordering  foliage 
of  shrubs  and  vines  would  be  most  satisfactory. 

There  are,  to  be  sure,  waterfalls,  sometimes  near 
cities,  where  scenic  value  far  outweighs  that  of  any 
power  that  may  be  developed.  Such  value  should 
be  preserved,  a  thing  most  difficult  to  accomplish, 
because  scenic  value  does  not  put  dollars  into  the 
pockets  of  those  who  most  appreciate  it. 

The  urgent  plea  which  this  book  would  make  is 


WATER  103 

for  the  recognition  and  preservation  of  the  beauty 
of  all  streams  both  large  and  small,  in  the  country 
and  in  the  cities  as  well.  In  cities,  watercourses 
and  their  borders  should  become  a  part  of  the  park 
systems,  usually  the  most  interesting  and  useful  as 
well  as  the  least  expensive  in  maintenance.  Such 
recognition  of  beauty  and  the  preservation  of  river 
scenery  would  show  that  all  men  and  women  do  not 
live  for  dollars,  but  that  they  love  beauty,  the  most 
satisfactory  and  all-pervading  attribute  of  this  world. 
The  development  of  water  power  is  to  be  com- 
mended. When  a  ton  of  coal  is  burned,  there  is 
one  ton  less  in  the  world's  reserve,  but  when  the 
power  of  falling  water  is  utilized,  nothing  is  taken 
from  the  future  because  the  supply  of  water  is  con- 
tinually replenished.  When  coal  is  burned,  the  at- 
mosphere is  usually  polluted  with  smoke  and  the 
beauty  of  the  scenery  injured  or  destroyed.  The 
development  of  water  power  does  not  affect  air,  but 
it  does  often  injure  scenery  by  flooding  and  killing 
trees  along  the  banks  of  the  rivers  that  are  utilized  by 
the  construction  of  dams.  The  engineer  who  is  skill- 
ful in  the  construction  of  dams  and  the  installation 
of  turbines  and  generators  is  not  always  appreciative 
of  the  beauty  of  running  water  and  tree-covered 


104  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

banks.  His  work  should  always  be  undertaken  with 
the  advice  and  assistance  of  an  able  landscape-de- 
signer. River  scenery  has  real  value  and  should 
not  be  destroyed  without  substituting  in  its  place 
scenery  of  equal  or  greater  value.  Rivers  are  not 
only  attractive  features  in  a  landscape  but  they 
serve  for  recreation  in  many  ways.  Their  use  as 
sources  of  power  should  not  destroy  their  other 
possibilities.  There  are  cases  in  which  the  recrea- 
tional value  is  far  greater  than  any  utilitarian  one, 
and  the  destruction  of  the  former  for  the  sake  of  the 
latter  is  a  loss. 

i 

LAKES 

Like  rivers,  lakes  are  naturally  beautiful.  Their 
shores  are  so  shaped  as  to  withstand  the  action  of 
water  and  ice.  The  vegetation  along  their  margins 
is  generally  pleasing  when  they  are  first  discovered. 
The  outlines  given  them  by  nature  are  nearly  always 
satisfactory.  The  natural  beauty  of  lakes,  however, 
like  that  of  rivers,  is  subject  to  dangers  on  account 
of  the  utilitarian  possibilities  of  these  bodies  of  still 
water.  Perhaps  the  greatest  injury  to  their  general 
appearance  is  due  to  the  construction  of  ice-houses. 
These  are  often  unnecessarily  obtrusive.  If  they 


WATER  105 

were  placed  some  distance  back  from  the  water  and 
subordinated  in  the  landscape  by  planting  willows 
or  other  suitable  trees  on  each  side,  they  would  not 
be  so  objectionable. 

The  next  feature  most  destructive  of  lake  scen- 
ery is  the  construction  of  boat-houses  extending 
out  into  the  water;  and  hardly  less  injurious  to 
the  appearance  of  water  margins  are  the  concrete 
and  masonry  walls  which  give  a  light-colored  scar 
to  the  otherwise  peaceful  and  quiet  margins.  The 
summer  cottages  also  frequently  destroy  the  at- 
traction which  has  drawn  their  owners  to  lake 
borders.  The"  most  obvious  remedy  for  the  un- 
sightliness  caused  by  the  structures  mentioned  is 
to  place  such  as  are  necessary  back  from  the  shore. 
A  boat-house  set  back  in  a  bank  or  inlet  need  not 
be  ugly.  An  ice-house  is  difficult  to  manage  in  a 
landscape  on  account  of  its  large  size,  but  much 
can  be  done  to  mitigate  its  usual  ugliness  by  se- 
lecting a  proper  location  and  subordinating  it  by 
planting  near  it  trees  that  attain  great  breadth 
and  height.  The  walls  along  the  shore  are  usually 
unnecessary  and  should  be  omitted.  A  summer 
cottage  can  be  so  placed  that  with  proper  staining 
or  painting  and  suitable  planting,  it  will  be  quite 


io6  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

unobtrusive  and  still  allow  its  occupants  to  enjoy 
the  most  delightful  views  over  the  water.  When 
walls  along  the  shore  are  really  necessary,  they 
often  can  be  constructed  with  bowlders  placed  ir- 
regularly upon  a  slanting  surface.  When  the  ac- 
tion of  the  waves  is  so  strong  as  to  make  the  use 
of  cement  necessary,  this  material  can  frequently 
be  employed  so  it  will  not  be  seen  by  placing  upon 
it  bowlders  and  gravel  and  planting  shrubs  or  vines 
just  above  it. 

The  study  of  natural  lakes  will  help  in  the  con- 
struction of  artificial  lakes  and  ponds.  Natural 
lakes  have  been  formed  by  glaciers  which  gouge 
out  basins  and  then  recede  and  leave  glacial  lakes, 
or  by  rivers  which  change  their  course  and  leave 
bodies  of  water  in  their  former  channels,  or  by  the 
obstruction  of  streams,  or  by  any  hollow  land  sur- 
face which  catches  and  holds  water.  The  natural 
water  suppl/  may  be  springs,  streams,  or  merely 
rain  and  melting  snow.  The  features  to  be  studied 
are  the  general  outlines,  the  shores  and  the  border 
growth.  A  lake  becomes  interesting  when  one  por- 
tion is  hidden  from  another.  The  object  which 
separates  the  two  portions  may  be  a  hill,  a  rise  of 
ground,  or  a  growth  *of  trees  and  bushes.  The 


WATER  107 

effect  desired  may  sometimes  be  obtained  even  when 
the  water's  edge  is  nearly  straight  by  variation  in  a 
marginal  growth.  A  tree  or  a  group  of  trees  may 
send  branches  out  over  the  water  to  a  distance  of 
twenty  to  thirty  feet,  and  next  to  such  a  group  the 
ground  may  be  covered  merely  with  small  bushes 
and  vines.  Thus  the  bank  of  a  lake  which  fills 
an  abandoned  river-bed  and  is  somewhat  canal- 
like  in  outline,  may  become  by  suitable  planting 
extremely  interesting. 

Natural  lakes  have  usually  been  in  existence  a 
long  time.  Their  shores  have,  therefore,  become 
fixed  and  the  dopes  of  these  shores  indicate  the  shape 
best  adapted  to  resisting  wave  action.  Rocky 
banks  show  the  best  form  for  an  artificial  barrier 
of  this  kind.  The  distribution  of  bowlders  along 
natural  shores  should  be  studied  to  learn  how  to 
make  the  best  use  of  such  material  in  artificial 
lakes. 

A  border  growth  of  trees  and  bushes  often  occurs 
where  banks  are  steep,  showing  how  to  protect 
hillsides  or  abrupt  banks  from  being  washed  away 
or  undermined  by  water.  Cat-tails,  pickerel-weed, 
sedges  and  other  growth  along  water  margins  indi- 
cate the  conditions  favorabte  to  such  growth.  One 


io8  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

goes  to  natural  lakes  to  study  the  treatment  of 
such  water,  just  as  one  would  consult  a  man  of  long 
experience  in  any  given  line  for  information  gained 
by  such  experience. 

Artificial  lakes.  —  In  the  development  of  home 
grounds,  parks  and  other  open  spaces,  it  may  be 
taken  for  granted  that  still  bodies  of  water  will 
be  introduced  when  conditions  are  favorable.  The 
mirror-like  surfaces  of  lakes  and  ponds  give  new 
beauty  to  their  surroundings  (Fig.  22).  They  show 
the  light  of  the  sun  and  moon  and  on  still  nights 
even  that  of  the  stars.  They  reflect  the  hills  and 
clouds,  the  overhanging  trees  and  vine-covered 
banks.  They  beautify  the  landscape  and  may  serve 
as  places  for  swimming,  fishing,  boating,  and  skating. 

When  are  conditions  favorable  ?  The  first  req- 
uisite is  a  supply  of  water,  and  the  second  a  suit- 
able location.  The  water  may  come  from  springs, 
streams,  or  wells.  In  the  latter  case,  objection 
may  be  made  to  the  cost  of  pumping,  but  when 
there  is  an  abundant  supply  of  ground  water,  the 
amount  spent  in  securing  it  to  supply  a  lake  will  usu- 
ally give  more  pleasure  than  that  expended  in  any 
other  way.  Spring  water  is  most  satisfactory  since 
it  costs  nothing  and  is  free  from  sediment.  The 


WATER 


109 


1 10  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

water  from  streams  may  bring  large  quantities  of 
sediment,  especially  during  storms  and  thawing 
weather,  and  so  gradually  fill  up  a  lake  and 
cause  a  muddy  appearance.  Several  remedies 
for  this  difficulty  may  be  suggested.  A  border  of 
perennial  vegetation  along  the  route  of  any  stream 
before  it  reaches  a  proposed  lake  may  keep  its  water 
clear.  (See  page  88.)  The  water  of  a  stream 
may  be  diverted  during  freshets  into  a  channel  ex- 
tending around  the  lake.  When  a  deposit  of  sedi- 
ment cannot  be  prevented,  it  can  be  cleaned  out 
by  various  methods.  It  is  usually  rich  in  plant- 
food  and  might  be  useful  in  improving  poor  land  or 
in  preparation  for  planting  trees.  For  this  pur- 
pose, the  deposit  can  be  obtained  by  using  a  suc- 
tion pump,  or  if  the  water  can  be  drained  off,  by 
hauling  the  sediment  away  in  carts  or  cars.  If  not 
needed,  the  sediment  can  be  washed  into  the  stream 
below  by  opening  a  gate  in  the  dam. 

For  good  appearance  and  for  economy  in  con- 
struction, lakes  should  be  located  in  ravines,  val- 
leys or  depressions.  One  advantage  in  forming  a 
lake  by  damming  a  stream  and  filling  its  valley 
with  water  is  that  the  shores  of  such  a  lake,  es- 
pecially along  its  sides  where  the  water  is  confined 


WATER  in 

by  natural  slopes  of  the  valley,  will  usually  be 
satisfactory  in  outline.  The  dam  will  be  the  diffi- 
cult part  to  manage.  The  site  for  this  should  be 
chosen  where  the  valley  is  narrow.  Ample  pro- 
vision must  be  made  in  the  overflow  for  the  larg- 
est freshet  that  can  come.  The  water  in  falling 
over  the  dam  would  gouge  out  any  yielding  material. 
A  durable  cement  apron  must,  therefore,  be  con- 
structed with  protection  at  the  sides,  and  this  must 
be  carried  to  a  point  where  the  flow  of  the  stream 
below  the  dam  is  comparatively  level.  It  is  well 
to  subordinate  this  cement  apron  by  inserting 
bowlders  while  the  cement  is  soft  and  by  making 
use  also  of  cobblestones,  gravel  and  overhanging 
bushes.  If  the  overflow  can  be  prolonged  into  a 
series  of  falls  and  rapids  with  intervening  pools, 
it  will  add  interest  to  the  lake's  outlet  and  aid  in 
producing  a  natural  effect.  No  masonry  or  cement 
work  should  rest  on  filled  ground.  If  the  overflow 
is  carried  along  the  side  of  the  valley  instead  of 
the  center  for  a  short  distance  it  may  help  in  getting 
a  solid  foundation,  and  in  giving  an  interesting  vari- 
ation to  the  line  of  the  channel.  When  the  valley 
in  which  the  dam  is  constructed  is  broader  than  the 
space  required  for  the  greatest  overflow,  a  portion 


ii2  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

of  the  dam  may  be  an  earth  embankment  which 
should  be  carried  well  above  high-water  mark. 
In  the  center  of  this  embankment  a  core  wall  should 
be  constructed  —  not  for  strength,  but  to  keep 
muskrats  and  other  water  animals  from  burrow- 
ing through.  A  thin  wall  will  answer  the  purpose, 
but  it  should  be  carried  well  into  the  bank  on  either 
side.  It  need  not  extend  above  high  water  in  the 
lake.  If  the  earth  embankment  is  broadened  where 
it  joins  the  natural  bank,  and  planted  in  harmony 
with  the  growth  along  the  sides  of  the  lake,  it  will 
aid  in  giving  a  natural  appearance.  Earth  em- 
bankments, even  when  built  of  sand  and  gravel, 
may  be  made  water-tight  by  mixing  clay  in  the 
stream  which  they  obstruct,  the  sand  filtering  out 
the  clay  from  the  water  flowing  through  the  em- 
bankment until  all  interstices  are  closed.  The 
bottom  of  artificial  lakes  may  be  made  tight  by  a 
layer  of  puddled  clay.  If  a  sand  or  gravel  bottom 
is  desired,  these  materials  can  be  placed  on  top  of 
this  waterproof  layer. 

There  are  advantages  and  disadvantages  in  stock- 
ing a  lake  with  fish.  If  the  water  is  cold  enough, 
trout  and  bass  would  be  unobjectionable.  Carp, 
while  keeping  the  water  free  from  certain  objec- 


WATER  113 

tionable  weeds,  usually  stir  up  the  bottom  so  that 
the  water  becomes  muddy.  This  is  also  true  of 
goldfish.  Mosquitoes  in  the  larva  state  (wig- 
glers)  are  eaten  by  fish.  A  lake  which  is  large  enough 
to  be  stirred  by  the  wind  will  be  free  from  wigglers 
except  where  the  water  is  kept  stationary  by  cat- 
tails or  other  water-loving  plants.  Mosquitoes  are 
sometimes  killed  by  the  application  of  kerosene 
or  other  oils  to  the  surface  of  the  water.  A  lake 
has  so  many  attractions  that  one  can  afford  to  take 
some  trouble  to  keep  it  free  from  weeds  and  mos- 
quitoes. 

To  insure  "a  lake's  appearing  at  its  best,  the  banks 
should  be  low  at  those  points  of  the  shore  over 
which  the  water  is  most  frequently  observed  (Fig.  23). 
Thus,  borders  nearest  a  veranda  or  the  windows  of  a 
house  from  which  the  lake  is  seen  should  be  low  so 
that  the  surface  of  the  water  will  be  visible  its  en- 
tire length  in  the  line  of  view.  On  the  other  hand, 
banks  which  are  seen  meeting  the  water  each  side 
of  a  view  may  be  steep  and  high  and  covered  with 
a  high  growth.  A  list  of  plants  suitable  for  cov- 
ering the  low  borders  would  include  Virginia  creepers 
and  other  vines,  violets,  marsh  marigolds,  certain 
kinds  of  iris,  grass  of  Parnassus,  bluets,  forget- 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

me-nots,    white    clover,    ground     ivy,    and    many 
others. 

The  high  banks  which  are  glimpsed  across  the 
water,  but  which  do  not  lie  between  any  principal 
point  of  view  and  the  lake,  offer  good  opportunities 


/~v"i     > 


cmMIKSv7 


FIG.  23.  —  A  LANDSCAPE  LAKE.  Showing  plan  and  sections  of  artificial  lake 
and  its  surroundings.  Section  A  B  shows  point  of  site  A.  With  grade  as 
shown  by  full  line  A  E  F,  the  entire  length  of  the  lake  is  seen.  With 
grade  shown  by  dotted  line  A  G  F,  a  large  portion  of  the  lake  is  hidden. 


WATER  115 

for  attractive  groupings  of  trees  and  shrubs.  On  a 
south  bank,  a  mixture  of  hemlocks  and  birches  would 
be  pleasing,  with  a  ground  covering  of  yews  and  ferns 
in  certain  places.  On  the  sunny  north  slopes, 
if  one  desired  rich  autumn  coloring,  one  could  not 
do  better  than  to  select  sugar  maples  anywhere 
in  the  northern  portion  of  the  eastern  half  of  the 
United  States.  Other  trees  'noted  for  their  fall 
coloring,  but  found  in  a  more  restricted  area,  in- 
clude sassafras,  tulip  trees,  birches,  white  ash,  sweet 
gum,  flowering  dogwood,  pepperidge,  blue  beech, 
pin  cherries,  and  some  of  the  oaks.  The  stag- 
horn  sumac,-  which  often  grows  to  the  size  of  a 
small  tree,  is  rich  in  color  and  so  are  all  the  other 
sumacs.  The  shrubby  dogwoods  turn  purple,  red, 
and  yellow.  The  common  hazel  is  often  wonder- 
ful in  color.  Other  maples  help  to  make  Ameri- 
can autumns  glorious,  the  red  maple  being  es- 
pecially brilliant  in  certain  portions  of  New  Eng- 
land, where  it  is  frequently  accompanied  by  the 
equally  brilliant  blueberry.  All  of  the  above  na- 
tive trees  are  suitable  for  planting  about  artificial 
lakes  when  these  are  extensive  enough  to  provide 
space  along  their  borders  for  both  openings  and 
woods. 


1 16  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

Islands  may  furnish  additional  space  for  plant- 
ing. When  these  are  introduced,  they  should  be 
so  placed  as  not  to  diminish  the  apparent  size  of 
the  lake.  They  would  naturally  be  located  rela- 
tively near  one.  of  the  shores.  They  hide  a  portion 
of  the  lake  and  thus  help  to  make  it  interesting. 
They  also  furnish  an  excellent  opportunity  to  show 
marginal  planting  to  advantage. 

When  one  thinks  of  New  England,  certain  por- 
tions of  the  middle  states,  and  the  region  traversed 
by  the  Alleghany  mountains,  other  plants  come  to 
mind  which  should  certainly  be  mentioned  in  the 
abbreviated  list  given  here  as  suitable  for  plant- 
ing about  lakes.  These  are  the  rhododendrons, 
azaleas,  mountain  laurels,  sweet  pepper  bushes, 
bayberries,  andromedas,  wild  roses  and  hollies,  in- 
cluding the  inkberry  and  the  winterberry.  The 
spring-flowering  plants  of  woody  growth  would 
include,  besides  many  of  those  already  mentioned, 
the  juneberry,  red-bud,  crab-apples  and  thorn- 
apples,  elderberries,  and  many  others.  If  there 
are  open  areas  stretching  away  from  a  lake,  one 
can  imagine  them  covered  with  herbaceous  plants 
which  may  flower  from  spring  until  fall.  If  the 
ground  in  such  an  area  is  quite  moist,  the  sequence 


WATER  117 

of  bloom  might  include  marsh  marigolds,  iris,  marsh- 
mallows,  lilies,  various  eupatoriums,  including  Joe- 
Pye  weed,  some  species  of  helianthus,  ironweed, 
lobelias,  snakeheads,  ladies'  tresses,  gentians,  asters, 
and  grass  of  Parnassus.  If  the  banks  of  a  lake  are 
steep  and  somewhat  gravelly  or  rocky,  columbines, 
saxifrages,  harebells,  butterfly-weeds,  goldenrods, 
and  some  of  the  asters  would  be  at  home.  On  steep 
banks  that  are  moist  and  shady,  one  would  expect 
to  find  trilliums,  hepaticas,  wild  ginger,  adder- 
tongues,  bloodroots,  squirrel-corn,  maidenhair  ferns, 
mosses  and  liverworts. 

If  a  lake  is  "near  a  house  or  in  a  city  square,  it 
would  be  allowable  to  plant  the  more  usual  forms 
of  cultivated  plants  about  its  borders,  but  when 
the  graceful  wild  beauty  of  a  natural  lake  is  desired, 
one  would  not  expect  to  see  such  subjects  as  lilacs 
and  peonies. 

The  designing  of  artificial  lakes,  embracing,  as 
it  should,  some  knowledge  of  engineering,  a  study 
of  outlines,  ability  in  grading  and  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance with  plants,  requires  great  skill  in  the  art  of 
landscape-gardening  and  furnishes  a  good  test  of  the 
designer's  proficiency. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
HOME  GROUNDS 

THUS  far,  this  book  has  taken  up  mainly  gen- 
eral principles  and  a  study  of  those  features  that 
might  be  introduced  into  any  ornamental  grounds. 
It  will  now  discuss  the  application  of  those  prin- 
ciples to  the  development  of  grounds  for  special 
purposes.  The  devotion  of  land  to  home  grounds 
may  very  properly  be  considered  first,  since  such 
grounds  are  so  widely  distributed,  have  existed 
for  such  a  long  time,  and  are  so  intimately  con- 
nected with  all  lives;  for  even  if  a  man  lives  in  an' 
apartment  building  or  a  hotel,  he  has  friends  whose 
home  grounds  he  enjoys,  or  he  hopes  to  have 
grounds  of  his  own  sometime. 

^When  one  considers  the  development  of  grounds 
for  special  purposes,  one  must  first  have  clearly 
in  mind  what  these  objects  are.  What  purposes 
are  served  by  home  grounds  ?  They  are  often 
called  private  grounds,  and  this  indicates  one  serv- 
ice they  may  render.  There  are  many  others. 

118 


HOME  GROUNDS  119 

The  house  gives  protection  from  weather,  a  place 
where  one  may  regulate  the  temperature,  read, 
play,  eat,  and  sleep.  Its  windows  also  provide  views 
of  the  outside  world  and  allow  sunshine  and  air  to 
enter.  It  is  largely  through  them  that  the  work 
of  the  architect  is  connected  with  that  of  the  land- 
scape-gardener. The  latter  must  realize  :  first,  that 
the  persons  who  live  in  the  house  and  their  guests 
need  sunlight,  air,  and  an  attractive  outlook  when 
they  are  in  the  house ;  second,  that  the  approach 
to  the  house  should  be  easy  and  natural ;  third, 
that  impressions  of  the  house  and  grounds  from 
the  usual  outside  points  of  view  and  especially 
from  points  along  the  approach  drive  or  walk  should 
be  pleasing ;  fourth,  that  a  reasonable  degree  of 
privacy  should  be  enjoyed  in  the  grounds  as  well 
as  in  and  about  the  house ;  fifth,  that  special  fea- 
tures like  front  lawns,  flower-gardens,  swimming- 
pools,  vegetable-gardens,  service  yards,  bird  baths, 
summer-houses,  seats,  garages,  stables  and  chicken- 
houses  should  be  so  placed  as  to  be  arranged  con- 
veniently with  regard  to  each  other  and  the  pur- 
poses they  are  to  serve  and  also  appear  well  in  the 
landscape  or  general  composition  of  the  home. 

In    making    a    home,    the   first    proceeding    after 


1 20  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

choosing  a  lot  is  to  select  a  site  for  the  house.  Re- 
membering the  value  of  sunshine  in  the  living-rooms, 
the  house  will  advisedly  be  well  supplied  with  win- 
dows on  the  east,  south,  and  west  sides.  It  is  from 
these  windows  that  the  grounds  will  be  seen,  and 
as  these  grounds  should  have  an  appearance  of 
freedom  and  seem  as  extensive  as  conditions  will 
allow,  the  house  should  usually  be  placed  near  the 
north  line  of  the  lot.  )  Exceptions  to  this  rule  may 
be  made,  however,  when. there  is  a  permanent  open 
space  adjoining  the  south  line  of  the  lot  like  that 
insured  by  a  river,  lake,  park,  valley  or  stretch 
of  relatively  low  land.  If  the  lot  itself  is  low  near 
the  north  boundary,  and  high  along  the  south  side, 
or  if  it  has  marked  variations  of  level,  or  commands 
exceptionally  fine  views  in  any  direction,  these 
facts  may  lead  to  a  modification  of  the  rule  given 
above.  The  site  selected  should  be  one  that  can 
be  well  drained,  in  fact,  as  well  as  have  the  appear- 
ance of  being  so../  A  house  placed  with  reference 
to  the  conditions  so  far  stated  will  usually  but  not 
always  have  the  benefit  of  the  most  needed  breezes 
(Fig.  24).  •  -.  '  '  • 

The  direction  of  the  prevailing  winds  should  have 
due    consideration.     With    a    small    lot,    the    main 


HOME  GROUNDS 


121 


^|§M^^^^g5^Sj^^l 

i.-.^?0  '•*,e>^>  -^«^Ni    ^   ) 


FIG.  24.  —  PLAN  FOR  HOME  GROUNDS.  The  house  is  placed  at  angle  with 
streets,  enabling  the  living-rooms  and  porch  to  command  best  views  and 
receive  southwest  breeze.  Plan  shows  complete  turnaround  for  automo- 
biles, part  of  this  turnaround  being  formed  by  street  pavements. 


122  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

lines  of  the  house  will  preferably  parallel  the  lot 
boundaries,  but  with  ample  room  it  may  be  wise  to 
face  the  house  with  reference  to  topography,  view, 
or  breeze,  instead  of  placing  it  with  regard  to  the 
lines  of  the  lot  or  street.  /  Protection  from  the  cold 
north  or  northwest  winds  may  sometimes  be  sought 
and  be  secured  partially  by  placing  the  house  on  a 
south  or  southeast  slope,  or  by  having  a  protecting 
belt  of  planting. 

In  most  cases,  the  site  for  a  house  can  be  easily 
reached  from  the  highway,  and  so  the  choice  of 
its  location  is  made  with  reference  to  other  con- 
siderations. Occasionally,  however,  difficulty  or  ease 
of  access  may  have  more  weight  in  determining 
the  place  for  a  house  than  even  the  view  or  some  of 
the  other  factors  which  have  been  mentioned.  If  a 
drive  is  required,  the  house  usually  should  be  placed 
so  there  will  be  room  for  this  drive  between  the 
house  and  north  lot  boundary,  or  between  the 
house  and  the  nearest  boundary.  If  the  drive  and 
the  entrance  to  which  it  leads  can  be  on  the  side  of 
the  house  not  devoted  to  living-rooms  and  verandas 
or  terraces,  the  latter  will  be  free  from  intrusion 
(Fig.  25).  This  fact  may  also  have  a  bearing  on  the 
house's  location.  Finally,  existing  trees  or  other 


HOME  GROUNDS 


123 


growth   may   influence   the   location   of  the   house. 
A  great  oak  that  has  been  growing  a  hundred  years 


FIG.  25.  —  ANOTHER  EXAMPLE.     Sketch  for  home  grounds  in  Winnetka,  111. 

may  help  to  make  a  beautiful  picture  if  it  stands 
in  proper  relation  to  the  dwelling.     It  is  worth  while 


124  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

to  make  such  a  picture  by  selecting  a  house  loca- 
tion with  reference  to  such  a  tree.  This  would  be 
true  if  in  place  of  the  oak  there  were  any  other 
desirable  tree  or  group  of  trees,  or  a  group  of  shrubs 
that  could  not  easily  be  moved. 

WALKS    AND    DRIVES 

The  method  of  reaching  a  house  is  the  next  step 
after  the  determination  of  its  site.  Three  cases 
will  be  considered :  (a),  when  only  a  walk  is  re- 
quired ;  (b)  when  a  drive  answers  also  for  a  walk ; 
(c)  when  the  situation  calls  for  both  a  walk  and 
a  drive.  ) 

(a)  Walks  should  lead  in  an  easy  natural  way 
from  a  point  of  beginning  to  a  destination.  When 
a  walk  is  an  approach  to  a  house,  its  point  of  be- 
ginning is  either  the  place  where  one  leaves  the 
street  sidewalk  or  where  one  alights  from  an  auto- 
mobile. The  destination  will  be  the  entrance  door 
of  the  house  or  the  steps  leading  to  it.  If  this  door 
faces  the  street  and  the  distance  is  short,  the  walk 
may  with  propriety  be  straight.  •  If  the  distance 
to  be  traveled  is  considerable  and  the  lot  large,  a 
curved  walk  will  usually  fit  the  situation  better, 
especially  if  the  street  approach  is  mostly  from  one 


HOME  GROUNDS  125 

direction.  )  To  determine  the  location  of  the  curved 
walk,  one  should  think  of  the  lot  as  being  graded 
and  covered  with  a  turf,  but  without  any  definite 
walk.  The  path  that  one  wrould  then  naturally 
follow  in  going  from  office  to  entrance  door  would 
usually  indicate  the  proper  location  for  the  perma- 
nent walk.  This  location,  which  would  ordinarily 
be  a  graceful  curve  without  reverses,  might  be 
modified  to  avoid  a  tree  or  cutting  into  the  lawn 
in  a  disagreeable  way.  If  the  surface  of  the  lot  is 
varied,  if  there  are  hills,  valleys,  or  ravines,  the 
walk  may  wind  back  and  forth  to  a  limited  extent 
to  secure  an  easy  grade,  but  a  serpentine  line  should 
be  used  as  little  as  possible.  The  most  satisfactory 
curve  is  one  in  which  the  rate  of  curvature  con- 
tinually changes  in  one  direction,  that  is,  from  a 
gentle  curve  to  one  more  pronounced,  or  the  reverse, 
instead  of  being  uniform  as  in  a  circle. 

(The  grade  of  a  walk  should  be  easy,  preferably 
not  more  than  one-half  inch  rise  in  one  foot,  al- 
though it  is  better  to  have  a  rise  of  one  inch  in  a  foot 
than  to  provide  steps.)  The  use  of  steps  may  lead 
to  an  uncomfortable  jolt,  or  even  a  dangerous  fall 
at  night  unless  they  are  well  lighted.  Sometimes, 
however,  steps  are  necessary,  and  then  the  rule  of 


126  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

two  risers  and  one  tread  equaling  twenty-five 
inches  is  a  good  one  when  the  riser  is  not  less  than 
three  or  four  inches.  If  the  grade  is  just  in  excess 
of  that  permitted  for  a  walk,  a  riser  of  four  to  six 
inches  with  a  tread  requiring  three  footsteps  from 
one  step  to  the  next  is  allowable,  the  odd  number  of 
footsteps  being  used  to  insure  the  lifting  from  one 
tread  to  the  next  being  done  alternately  by  the 
muscles  of  each  leg  (Fig.  26). 

(  A  width  of  five  feet  is.  suitable  for  most  walks 
to  private  houses.  A  cross-section  with  a  slight 
crown  gives  a  better  appearance  than  a  flat  sur- 
face. The  material  used  may  be  concrete,  brick, 
asphalt,  or  stone.  Concrete  is  smooth  and  dur- 
able, but  its  light  color  is  objectionable.  This, 
however,  may  be  modified  by  the  introduction  of 
coloring  matter  or  by  giving  the  surface  a  granular 
appearance  with  fine  gravel,  f  A  brick  walk  is  good 
in  color,  and  if  moss  or  other  fine  vegetation  grows 
in  the  joints,  it  may  be  unusually  pleasing. ) 

Before  the  walk  is  laid,  the  ground  should  be 
drained.)  If  the  land  is  high  on  one  side  and  low 
on  the  other,  surface  water  from  the  former  should 
be  carried  to  the  latter  underneath  the  walk  through 
a  pipe  or  culvert  with  a  good  fall  to  some  outlet, 


HOME  GROUNDS 


127 


-•-  •  ••        • 


•—  63 


FIG.  26.  —  SHOWING  STEPS.  A,  C,  Concrete  steps  illustrating  the  rule  of 
2  risers  and  I  tread  equaling  25  inches.  B,  Steps  formed  by  using  logs 
and  backing  with  earth.  D,  Stone  steps.  E,  Step  with  long  tread. 

which  should  be  ample  so  that  water  will  not  stand 
in  the  pipe  and  freeze. 


128  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

A  good  method  of  staking  a  walk  is  to  carry  on 
one  arm  a  bundle  of  small  stakes  from  one  to  three 
feet  long  and  drop  these  one  at  a  time  along  the 
route  to  be  followed,  spacing  the  stakes  at  uniform 
distances  by  pacing.  An  assistant  will  drive  these 
stakes  where  they  are  dropped  but  only  deep  enough 
to  secure  them  in  a  vertical  position  until  they  are 
lined  to  a  satisfactory  curve.  To  secure  such  a 
curve,  one  should  look  along  the  line  of  stakes,  start- 
ing at  one  end,  and  direct  the  assistant  to  move 
each  stake  to  the  right  or  left  until  it  is  in  the  proper 
place.  The  entire  line  should  be  gone  over  in  this 
way  from  each  direction,  repeating  the  lining  if 
necessary,  until  the  curve  is  satisfactory  from  any 
point  of  view.  The  uniform  spacing  of  the  stakes 
is  advisable.  Where  a  reverse  is  necessary,  the 
stakes  should  gradually  approach  a  straight  line 
until  the  point  of  reverse  is  reached  and  then  as 
gradually  leave  the  straight  line,  the  curve  becom- 
ing more  pronounced  as  one  proceeds.  While  the 
curve  approaches  a  straight  line,  it  should  never 
reach  it ;  that  is,  the  curve  should  be  continuous 
from  one  end  to  the  other  without  any  " tangents" 
(Fig.  27). 

Hardly  any  work  is  more  interesting  than  stak- 


HOME   GROUNDS  129 

ing  a  beautiful  line.  The  line  of  stakes  may  be  in 
the  center  or  at  one  side  of  the  proposed  walk,  and 
measurements  can  be  taken  from  each  stake  at  right 
angles  to  the  line  to  determine  the  location  of  the 
"form"  at  the  edge  of  the  walk.  The  profile  or 
line  determining  the  grade  or  vertical  position  of 


FIG.  27.  —  THE  WALK.  Dots  show  stakes  for  center  line  of  road.  This  curve 
gradually  approaches  a  straight  line  at  point  of  reverse  C.  The  continuous 
curve  is  better  than  arcs  of  circles  with  straight  lines. 

the  walk  may  be  fixed  in  much  the  same  way  by 
driving  the  stakes  to  a  pleasing  vertical  curve. 
Instead  of  sighting  over  the  tops  of  the  stakes,  it 
is  more  convenient  to  have  three  T's  or  rods  of 
equal  length,  say  four  feet,  and  sight  over  the  tops 
of  these  when  they  are  held  vertically  resting  on 
the  tops  of  three  consecutive  stakes.  Two  as- 
sistants will  be  needed  to  hold  these  rods,  the  one 


130  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

at  the  third  stake  being  directed  to  drive  it  until 
the  line  over  the  tops  of  the  rods  is  satisfactory. 
When  the  stake  is  driven  to  the  proper  grade,  each 
assistant  and  the  observer  move  forward  along  the 
line  to  the  next  stake  and  thus  continue  until  all 
the  stakes  in  the  line  are  driven  to  the  desired  grade. 
When  the  profile  of  the  grade  is  straight,  the  tops 
of  the  three  T's  will  be  in  line.  When  it  is  con- 
vex upward,  the  third  stake  will  be  driven  until 
the  top  of  the  T  resting  upon  it  is  below  the  line 
over  the  tops  of  the  other  two,  the  distance  below 
the  line  depending  on  the  rate  of  vertical  curvature. 
When  the  grade  is  concave  upward,  the  third  stake 
will  be  driven  so  that  the  T  resting  upon  it  will 
show  above  the  line  over  the  tops  of  the  other  two 
T's.  By  repeating  the  trials  for  grade  in  a  way 
similar  to  that  used  in  determining  horizontal  curves, 
a  satisfactory  profile  can  be  found  quickly.  With 
a  hand  level,  it  is  easy  to  determine  when  the  grade 
is  within  proper  limits. 

It  has  been  stated  that  when  a  walk  is  curved, 
the  curve  should  continue  from  end  to  end.  It  is 
a  mistake  to  introduce  a  complete  circular  walk 
inclosing  a  flower-bed,  fountain,  or  statue,  with  the 
center  of  this  circle  in  the  center  of  the  direct  walk 


HOME   GROUNDS 


to  the  house  (Fig.  28).  If  a  tree  or  shrub  which  is 
good  enough  to  be  saved  stands  in  the  natural  line 
of  the  walk,  one  should  not  make  an  abrupt  detour 
around  it,  but  shift  the  line  for  a  long  distance 
so  that  the  curve  will  be  good  and  leave  the  tree 
at  one  side. 

The  surface  of  the  walk  should  meet  at  its  edge 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  the  latter  continuing  for 


FIG.  28.  —  AN  ARRANGEMENT  NOT  RECOMMENDED. 

a  short  distance  the  slope  of  the  former  and  then 
joining  by  a  graceful  curve  the  general  grade  of  the 
land.  ,  This  not  only  gives  a  good  appearance,  but 
it  allows  the  water  to  run  off  from  the  walk.  Some 
gardeners  and  janitors  have  a  penchant  for  mak- 
ing a  ditch  along  each  edge  of  a  walk.  Such  ditches 
are  ugly  in  themselves  even  before  they  catch  the 
papers  and  other  refuse  that  will  be  swept  into  them. 


1 32  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

With  a  little  care,  the  lawn  will  meet  the  walk  in 
a  neat,  sharp  line,  but  it  is  far  better  to  have  a  few 
blades  of  grass  lie  on  the  walk  than  to  disfigure  it 
with  ditches. 

(b)  Much  of  what  has  been  said  regarding  walks 
will  apply  to  drives.  If  a  lot  is  narrow,  a  straight 
drive  from  the  street  along  the  side  of  the  house  is 
proper.  This  may  be  used  as  a  walk  if  it  leads  to 
the  entrance  door.  If  this  door  is  in  the  front  of 
the  house  facing  the  street,  it  may  be  reached  by  a 
short  walk  branching  from  the  drive  (Fig.  29).  This 
arrangement  saves  expense  and,  what  is  more  im- 
portant, it  provides  an  unbroken  area  between  the 
street  and  the  house  to  be  developed  into  a  thing 
of  beauty.  If  the  house  is  quite  far  from  the  high- 
way, it  is  allowable  to  divert  the  entrance  drive  from 
a  direct  route  somewhat  for  the  sake  of  following 
the  edge  of  a  ravine  or  valley,  passing  a  pond,  tree, 
or  other  object  of  special  interest,  or  bringing  into 
notice  one  or  more  pleasing  views,  but  the  best 
view  of  all  should  be  seen  after  entering  the  house 
and  passing  to  the  windows  on  the  other  side  from 
the  entrance.  ( The  immediate  approach  to  the 
house  on  a  slightly  ascending  grade  is  usually  better 
than  on  either  a  level  or  descending  grade. ' 


HOME  GROUNDS 


133 


134  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

f  It  is  desirable  by  the  location  of  the  drive  and 
the  arrangement  of  the  planting  to  bring  the  house 
into  view  at  a  point  where  its  appearance  is  most 
pleasing.  )  From  this  point  one  will  usually  see  two 
sides  of  the  house  and  it  will  appear  to  be  of  the 
proper  size. 

With  automobiles,  a  drive  having  a  reasonably 
hard,  even  surface  is  required.  Such  a  drive  is  well 
adapted  for  a  walk,  and  on  a  private  approach 
the  number  of  vehicles  passing  will  not  be  great 
enough  materially  to  interfere  with  the  comfort 
of  walking.  \A  combined  walk  and  drive,  or  rather 
a  drive  which  is  also  used  for  a  walk,  appears  better 
than  two  passageways  through  the  lawn  and 
planting.  Moreover,  its  cost  for  construction  and 
maintenance  will  be  less.  This  method  of  reach- 
ing the  house  will,  therefore,  be  advisable  in  many, 
perhaps  in  most  cases. 

f  (c)  Sometimes,  however,  to  insure  greater 
privacy  or  safety,  to  secure  more  varied  effects, 
or  to  allow  the  approach  to  the  house  from  differ- 
ent directions,  one  or  more  walks  may  be  needed 
in  addition  to  the  drive  (Fig.  30).  The  location  and 
construction  of  each  would  be  in  accordance  with 

->v 

principles  and  directions  given  under  (a)  and  (b); 


HOME   GROUNDS 


135 


y.f*^':'"-;         *•&•!& 


HOME  GROUM)S 


FIG.  30. — ANOTHER  EXAMPLE.     Sketch  for  home  grounds, 
Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa. 


136  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

Complete  directions  for  the  construction  of  drives 
are  not  included  in  this  book,  since  these  are  easily 
found  in  treatises  on  engineering  or  government 
bulletins.  It  is  the  desire  here  to  emphasize  the 
importance  of  their  location  for  convenience,  com- 
fort, and  good  appearance.  The  laying  out  of  a 
walk  or  drive  on  any  desired  grade  is,  however,  so 
simple  and  generally  useful  that  every  one  who  has  a 
farm  or  a  large  "place"  in  city  or  country  should 
know  how  to  do  it.  A .  hand  level  costing  about 
six  dollars  is  the  only  instrument  required.  With 
this,  by  merely  sighting  through,  one  can  look  in 
any  direction  and  determine  a  horizontal  line  ex- 
tending from  the  eye.  To  illustrate  how  a  line 
on  any  desired  grade  is  located,  suppose  the 
observer's  eye,  when  he  is  standing,  to  be  five  feet 
from  the  ground,  and  the  desired  grade  five  per 
cent.  Stand  at  a  low  point  on  the  proposed  line. 
With  the  level  select  a  point  that  is  of  the  same 
height  as  the  eye  on  the  higher  ground  ahead  and 
about  one  hundred  feet  away.  Have  an  assistant 
pace  one  hundred  feet  toward  this  point  and  then 
direct  him  to  move  to  the  right  or  left  until  the 
spot  upon  which  he  stands  is  just  on  a  level  with 
the  cross  wire  of  the  instrument.  He  will  mark 


HOME  GROUNDS  137 

this  spot  and  then  pace  forward  to  another  spot 
one  hundred  feet  further  on  and  five  feet  above  the 
first  spot  determined,  while  the  observer  moves 
in  like  manner  to  the  spot  the  assistant  has  just 
marked.  By  repeating  this  process,  a  line  can  be 
marked  rising  at  the  rate  of  five  per  cent.  If  the 
line  along  the  desired  route  should  descend,  the 
observer  will  go  ahead  and  sight  back.  If  the  line 
goes  around  a  rise  of  the  land  which  hides  the  point 
one  hundred  feet  away,  fifty  feet  can  be  paced  in- 
stead of  one  hundred,  and  the  observer  will  sight 
to  a  point  on  the  assistant's  clothing  two  and  one- 
half  feet  above  the  ground  on  which  he  stands. 
For  greater  accuracy,  the  assistant  can  use  a  rod 
on  which  feet  and  fractions  of  a  foot  are  plainly 
marked,  and  the  distance  can  be  measured  with  a 
tape,  but,  for  preliminary  work,  the  method  out- 
lined is  rapid  and  sufficiently  accurate  to  deter- 
mine whether  the  proposed  line  for  a  walk  or  drive 
is  feasible  or  not.  If  conditions  are  favorable,  that 
is,  if  the  ground  is  open  and  reasonably  smooth 
so  that  pacing  will  show  rather  closely  the  actual 
distance,  the  method  outlined  may  answer  for  the 
final  determination  of  the  proposed  line.  It  will 
also  determine  whether  the  grade  must  be  changed. 


138  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

If  a  six  per  cent  grade  is  required,  the  assistant  for 
the  observer,  whose  eye  is  five  feet  above  the 
ground,  would  pace  eighty-three  and  one-third 
feet  instead  of  one  hundred.  For  an  easier  grade, 
the  assistant  would  pace  farther  when  on  an  ascend- 
ing grade  and  the  observer  would  do  the  pacing  on 
a  descending  grade.  If  the  observer's  eye  was.  more 
than  five  feet  above  the  ground,  the  distance  paced 
would  be  correspondingly  greater. 

For  a  large  place,  there  will  be  many  walks  or 
drives  in  addition  to  those  approaching  the  house 
from  the  highway,  especially  if  there  is  uneven 
ground  or  forest,  and  the  location  of  such  walks 
and  drives  will  be  determined  by  methods  similar 
to  those  just  described. 

Having  selected  the  site  for  the  house  and  the  lo- 
cation of  the  approaches  to  it  from  the  highway, 
the  landscape-gardener  will  proceed  to  choose  sites 
for  the  other  features  desired  by  his  client.  These 
sites  will  be  discussed  briefly,  approximately  in  the 
order  of  their  importance. 

GARAGES 

Nearly  everyone  who  builds  a  house  will  require 
a  garage.  There  are  many  positions  which  it  may 


HOME   GROUNDS  139 

occupy.  It  should  be  subordinated  to  the  house.  \ 
It  is  well,  although  not  absolutely  essential,  for 
it  not  to  be  visible  at  all  on  the  approach  to  the 
house.  Sometimes  it  is  even  advisable  to  place  it 
on  the  street  or  between  the  street  and  the  house 
at  one  side  of  the  drive.  It  may  form  a  part  of 
the  house.  Occasionally,  when  the  topography  is 
favorable,  it  may  be  placed  in  the  basement.  Some- 
times it  may  be  in  an  extension  of  the  kitchen  wing, 
or  separated  from  the  kitchen  by  a  service  yard. 
Again  it  will  be  at  a  distance,  hidden  from  the 
house,  where  all  noise  connected  with  cleaning  and 
repairing  cars  will  be  out  of  hearing,  or  it  may  be 
on  an  entirely  different  lot  and  perhaps  a  block 
or  more  away  from  the  residence.  The  wishes  of 
the  owner  will  be  the  determining  factor  in  its  lo- 
cation, but  the  landscape-gardener  should  be  able 
to  suggest  the  most  favorable  positions,  and  when 
the  site  is  chosen,  arrange  planting  so  as  to  give  the 
best  possible  effect.  Usually  in  front  of  the  garage 
there  must  be  space  for  turning.  This  space  should 
be  bounded  at  least  partially  by  curved  lines  with 
radii  of  not  less  than  twenty  feet.  ;  It  is  assumed 
that  a  car  will  need  a  circle  sixty  feet  in  diameter 
in  which  to  turn,  but  since  it  can  turn  by  backing 


i4o  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

and  then  going  ahead,  a  full  circle  is  not  always 
required.  It  is  important  to  have  room  enough 
for  comfort,  also  to  make  the  garage  as  unobtrusive 
as  possible. 

SERVICE    YARDS 

Service  yards  naturally  will  be  placed  where 
they  will  be  easily  accessible  from  the  kitchen  and 
laundry.  Like  garages,  they  should  be  unobtru- 
sive. A  service  yard  furnishes  a  place  for  drying 
clothes,  for  storing  temporarily  supplies  for  the 
kitchen,  and  sometimes  as  a  place  of  recreation  for 
the  servants.  It  should  be  at  the  end  or  back  of 
the  kitchen  wing  and  may  be  inclosed  by  a  wall,  a 
fence,  or  a  hedge  of  shrubbery.  There  would  be 
no  objection  to  planting  trees  north  of  a  service 
yard,  but  they  should  not  be  placed  where  they  will 
shade  the  yard  during  drying  hours.  When  shrubs 
are  used  to  give  the  'desirable  seclusion,  they  may 
appear  as  a  natural  group  on  the  outside,  and  be 
trimmed  for  convenience  along  the  boundaries  of 
the  service  yard.  Two  shrubs  most  suitable  for 
use  in  this  connection  are  lilac  and  syringa  (Phila- 
delphus),  as  they  have  many  branches  and  make 
a  screen  even  in  winter.  Evergreens,  when  hardy, 


HOME   GROUNDS  141 

will  perhaps  make  a  better  screen  than  any  de- 
ciduous shrub,  but,  in  most  cities,  they  are  unre- 
liable on  account  of  the  smoke.  If  evergreens  can 
be  used,  arbor-vitae  and  hemlocks  are  good  be- 
cause they  can  be  kept  from  growing  too  high. 
Broad-leaved  evergreens  are  suitable  wherever  they 
are  hardy  and  attain  sufficient  size.  When  walls 
or  fences  are  used,  they  furnish  a  suitable  place 
for  vines.  The  south  side  of  an  inclosing  wall  is 
suitable  for  raising  grapes,  climbing  roses,  Vir- 
ginia creepers  and  clematis.  Nearly  all  vines  are 
satisfactory,  provided  a  wire  netting  is  placed  for 
those  not  self-attaching. 

FRONT   YARDS 

While  garages  and  service  yards  are  a  necessity, 
from  one  point  of  view  they  are  less  important 
than  the  front  yard.  Their  relation  to  the  latter 
is  much  like  that  of  the  kitchen  to  the  living- 
room  or  library.  The  front  yard,  meaning  the 
open  space  on  which  may  face  the  living-room, 
library,  dining-room  and  veranda  or  terrace,  should 
be  the  most  artistic  part  of  the  home  grounds., 
From  every  viewpoint,  it  should  appear  beautiful 
enough  to  photograph  or  paint.  \  A  front  yard 


142  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

should  have  open  space  to  show  sky,  clouds  and 
sunshine.  The  sky  space  is  bounded  preferably 
by  the  outlines  of  trees  and  bushes.)  Such  out- 
lines, if  the  growth  is  allowed  to  be  natural,  are 
sure  to  be  graceful  and  pleasing.  They  will  be  high 
at  one  spot  and  low  in  another.  They  will  be  near 
at  hand  at  one  point  and  may  be  miles  away  in 
another  direction.  Sometimes  a  sky-line  may  de- 
scend to  the  ground,  perhaps  touching  a  hill,  a 
prairie,  or  a  range  of  mountains.  If  the  hill  is  far 
away,  no  jarring  effect  may  be  produced,  but,  if 
close  at  hand,  it  is  usually  best  to  soften  even  the 
outline  of  the  hill  with  some  foliage.  Sometimes  - 
the  sky-line  descends  to  a  body  of  water  which 
stretches  away  to  the  horizon.  In  such  cases,  after 
meeting  its  surface,  the  sky-line  continues  below  the 
water,  which  may  occupy  a  position  in  the  real 
picture  similar  to  that  of  the  sky.  This  water, 
which  may  be  a  lake,  a  sea,  or  an  ocean,  should 
have  its  outline  softened.  If  one  looks  out  over  a 
closely  shaven  lawn  at  a  body  of  water,  the  effect 
is  not  as  pleasing  as  when  the  edge  of  the  lawn  is 
modified  by  an  indefinite  growth  like  that  of  vines, 
bushes,  or  the  graceful  forms  of  certain  herbaceous 
plants. 


HOME  GROUNDS  143 

The  ground  of  the  front  yard  may  be  covered 
with  grass  or  creeping  plants.  Between  it  and  the 
sky-line  there  will  appear  a  bank  of  foliage.  This 
bank  may  be  steep,  may  even  overhang,  giving  a 
deep  shade,  or  it  may  have  a  very  gradual  slope 
tapering  off  toward  a  distant  view.  It  may  be 
formed  entirely  of  one  kind  of  growth,  yet  appear 
varied  because  of  the  different  amounts  of  light 
received  in  various  parts.  The  foliage  in  itself 
may  be  varied,  the  leaves  of  certain  trees  or  shrubs 
being  glossy,  while  that  of  others  is  dull.  The 
leaves  may  show  a  thousand  different  shapes.  The 
bank  of  foliage  may  be  sprinkled  with  flowers  or 
with  fruits.  The  branches  of  trees  or  shrubs  may 
spread  far  out  over  the  ground  in  one  place  and 
recede  in  another  out  of  sight.  The  boundary  of 
trees  and  shrubs  may  be  deciduous  or  evergreen. 
In  the  former  case,  a  curtain  or  bank  of  trunks  and 
branches  will  take  the  place  of  leaves  in  winter. 

The  winter  effect  may  be  exceedingly  interesting, 
due  to  the  various  shades  of  color  shown  by  the 
bark  of  twigs  and  trunks  of  trees,  to  the  forms  and 
colors  of  buds,  and  to  the  method  of  branching. 
With  the  leaves  gone,  the  sky-line  drops  to  a  lower 
level,  the  space  between  its  summer  and  winter 


144  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

t  .<• 

positions  being  filled  with  an  open,  lace-like  tracery 
against  a  light  background.  At  times  this  back- 
ground is  white,  and  the  network  of  branches  against 
it  is  more  beautiful  than  the  finest  etching.  Again, 
the  lace-work  of  branches  may  be  seen  against  a 
brilliant  evening  sky  of  red  or  yellow  and  give  the 
impression  of  far  deeper  coloring  than  when  such  a 
sky  is  observed  entirely  in  the  open. 

Occasionally,  it  may  be  interesting  to  have  an 
opening  through  the  bank  of  foliage  or  boughs, 
this  opening  being  entirely  surrounded  with  growth 
and  framing  a  distant  landscape.  Such  an  open- 
ing, however,  must  be  studied  with  care  and  placed 
so  it  will  not  lessen  the  charm  of  the  front  yard  it- 
self. Perhaps  it  would  be  best  to  keep  the  open- 
ing through  the  trees  invisible  from  the  house  and 
let  it  come  as  a  pleasant  surprise  from  some  bay 
or  path  where  a  seat  might  be  placed. 
!  The  kinds  of  trees  and  shrubs  that  should  be 
selected  to  form  the  front  yard  boundary  will  de- 
pend on  the  size  of  the  yard,  the  lie  of  the  land, 
the  views  to  be  kept  open,  the  soil  and  the  climateA 
Preference  usually  should  be  given  to  existing  growth. 
An  oak  tree  that  has  been  growing  for  a  large  part 
of  a  century  is  very  likely  to  fit  the  local  conditions, 


HOME   GROUNDS  145 

and  if  these  are  not  changed  by  the  removal  of  a 
natural  mulch  of  leaves,  the  lowering  of  the  water- 
table,  or  in  some  other  way,  the  tree  should  live 
for  another  hundred  years.  A  study  of  the  native 
woods  in  the  vicinity  will  help  materially  in  solv- 
ing the  problem  of  what  to  plant.  As  it  is  im- 
portant not  to  cut  off  sunshine  from  the  house,  a 
small  place  should  not  have  tall-growing  trees, 
especially  toward  the  east,  south  and  west,  when 
the  lines  of  the  rooms  are  parallel  to  the  cardinal 
points  of  the  compass.  Sometimes  a  large  tree 
may  be  placed  diagonally  out  from  the  corner  of 
the  house  and  do  no  harm,  because  the  sun  can 
shine  directly  into  all  the  rooms  at  some  time  dur- 
ing the  day.  A  personal  fondness  for  certain  plants 
will  play  a  large  part  in  the  selection.  Some  per- 
sons like  lilacs  and  others  do  not.  Some  have  an 
aversion  to  evergreens,  and  others  wish  them  in 
abundance.  In  making  the  choice,  one  is  deter- 
mining what  to  place  against  the  sky  canvas.  One 
is  selecting  the  forms  and  colors  that  harmonize 
with  each  other  at  all  seasons  of  the  year  and  es- 
pecially during  the  time  the  house  is  to  be  occupied. 
The  choice  of  plants  may  be  influenced  by  one's 
preference  for  etchings  or  paintings. 


146  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  joining  of  the  boundary  growth  with  the  lawn 
or  ground  cover  calls  for  the  exercise  of  skill.  Satis- 
factory effects  may  result  from  allowing  the  lower 
branches  of  trees  to  spread  out  in  their  search  for 
light  and  rest  upon  the  lawn.  Certain  shrubs, 
like  aromatic  sumac,  are  well  adapted  for  the  border 
of  an  open  space,  as  their  lower  branches  spread 
horizontally,  thus  giving  a  graceful  receding  out- 
line. In  a  shadowy  bay  with  more  upright  growth, 
a  bed  of  ferns  may  find  a  congenial  home.  There 
are  many  flowering  plants  which  like  some  shade 
and  will  help  to  make  the  front  yard  beautiful  when 
they  are  planted  near  its  south  boundary.  For 
the  flowers  which  like  sunshine,  appropriate  places 
can  be  found  along  the  north  side  of  open  areas. 
A  continuous  uniform  border  of  flowers,  however, 
along  the  margin  of  groups  of  shrubs  does  not  look 
well,  j  One's  aim  should  be  to  introduce  trees,  shrubs 
and  flowers  that  will  give  harmonious  combinations 
of  color,  effective  contrasts  of  light  and  shade  and 
graceful  pleasing  outlines.^ 

The  floor  of  the  front  yard,  the  area  about  a 
house  usually  covered  with  turf,  may  be  treated 
in  various  ways.  Its  grade  must  first  be  determined. 
The  house  should  appear  to  be  on  the  highest  land 


HOME  GROUNDS  147 

in  its  immediate  vicinity.  Even  when  placed  on  a 
hillside,  there  should  be  a  narrow  valley  between 
the  foundation  of  the  house  and  the  hill  for  appear- 
ance as  well  as  for  surface  drainage.  If  the  ground 
selected  for  a  house  site  is  level,  its  appearance 
will  be  greatly  improved  by  even  a  slight  varia- 
tion from  a  flat  surface.  Usually  the  earth  exca- 
vated for  foundations  and  basement  or  cellar  can  be 


Original 


FIG.   31. — THE  SURFACE  LINES.     Showing  grades  about  house. 

employed  to  make  a  broad  gentle  mound  where  the 
house  is  to  stand  (Fig.  31).  Sometimes  additional 
emphasis  may  be  given  to  the  mound  by  depressing 
the  natural  level  surface  beyond  or  outside  of  the 
fill  about  the  house.  Sometimes,  if  the  grounds  are 
extensive,  it  may  even  be  wise  to  make  a  hill  in 
one  place  and  a  valley  in  another.  In  determining 
the  grade,  there  is  a  chance  for  the  exercise  of  con- 
siderable ingenuity,  but  the  final  result  must  appear 
natural  and  dignified,  not  childish  or  artificial. 

The  first  step  in  the  actual  building  of  a  house,  per- 
haps after  the  construction  of  a  road,  should  be  the 


148  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

removal  of  all  the  good  top  soil  from  the  site  of  the 
house  and  those  portions  of  its  surroundings  which 
would  be  covered  in  the  final  grade.  This  soil 
should  be  put  in  one  or  more  piles  out  of  the  way  of 
building  operations,  yet  conveniently  near  so  that 
it  can  be  easily  replaced  about  the  house  after  its 
completion.  The  lines  of  the  finished  grade  should 
flow  naturally  into  each  other  in  every  direction 
without  sharp  angles.  Projecting  rock  ledges  or 
bowlders  are  unobjectionable.  They  often  make 
the  grounds  more  beautiful  and  sometimes  fur- 
nish admirable  places  for  ferns,  vines,  mosses, 
lichens,  or  other  plants.  When  the  grading  is  done, 
the  usual  procedure  is  to  sow  lawn  seed.  There 
is  hardly  anything  more  beautiful  than  a  well- 
kept,  gently  rolling  lawn.  The  dew  upon  it  in  the 
morning,  the  play  of  sunlight  on  it,  and  its  yield- 
ing to  the  pressure  of  one's  foot,  are  delightful.  Yet 
it  is  sometimes  advisable  to  use  other  plants  than 
grass  and  white  clover  for  a  ground  cover.  To 
mention  but  a  few,  one  might  list  trailing  juniper, 
horizontal  cotoneaster,  bearberry,  spurge,  par- 
tridge-berry, the  low  forms  of  yew,  myrtle,  violets, 
Virginia  creeper,  wild  grapes,  lily-of-the-valley,  vir- 
gin's bower,  wintergreen,  wandering  Jew,  iris,  and 


HOME  GROUNDS  149 

day  lily.     The  opportunities   for   experimenting   in 
this  direction  are  unlimited. 

Having  secured  a  satisfactory  ground  cover  for 
the  open  area,  one  must  join  this  agreeably  with 
the  walls  of  the  house  or  terrace.;  Sometimes  this 
is  done  for  two  or  three  months  with  a  certain  meas- 
ure of  success  by  using  such  plants  as  cannas,  ge- 
raniums or  begonias,  but  for  the  year  round,  plants 
with  a  hardy  woody  growth  must  be  chosen,  usu- 
ally shrubs  or  vines.  The  height  of  the  plantation 
about  the  house  can  be  varied  as  is  the  sky-line 
opposite.  It  can  drop  to  the  ground  in  places  to 
give  light  to  low  windows  or  show  some  archi- 
tectural feature  of  the  house,  and  climb  to  the  roof 
in  others.  The  shrubs  selected  may  spread  out 
away  from  the  house  or  grow  to  a  height  sufficient 
to  screen  a  veranda  from  the  street.  They  may 
be  chosen  for  beauty  of  leaves,  blossoms,  berries, 
for  perfume  or  for  color  of  twigs.  The  features 
of  a  front  yard,  the  open  space,  the  ground  cover 
below,  and  the  border  plantations,  may  be  common 
to  all  home  grounds  whether  large  or  small.  Even 
with  the  smallest  grounds,  there  is  opportunity  for 
endless  enjoyment  in  planting  interesting  and 
beautiful  things,  in  watching  them  grow,  smell- 


1 50  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

ing  their  perfume,  guiding  the  growth  of  their  gen- 
eral effect  by  adding  in  one  place  or  taking  away  in 
another. 

And  what  of  the  final  result,  the  completed  front 
yard  ?  There  never  is  any  final  result.  The  front 
yard  is  a  continual  growth,  which  may  be  so  beauti- 
ful as  to  fill  its  owner  with  a  constant  desire  to  re- 
turn to  it  whenever  he  is  away ;  a  place  not  only 
beautiful  but  restful  because  of  its  freedom  from 
intrusion  and  its  quietness  and  also  because  it  is 
a  part  of  its  owner  —  is  in  fact  his  Garden  of  Eden. 
It  is  the  most  perfect  example  of  the  landscape- 
gardener's  art,  but  while  the  landscape-gardener 
may  make  the  original  design,  in  its  most  perfect 
form  it  must  be  developed,  adopted  and  loved  by 
its  owner.  Into  it  will  come  birds  with  song,  beau- 
tiful in  shape  and  color  and  graceful  in  movement. 
Into  it  will  come  snow,  rain,  and  sunshine.  Into  it 
will  come  the  owner  and  his  friends  to  enjoy  their 
hours  of  leisure  and  from  it  they  will  watch  the  sun, 
moon,  stars,  the  clear  blue  sky,  clouds,  and  rain- 
bows. 

There  are  some  persons,  perhaps  many,  who  will 
not  appreciate  this  expression  of  the  landscape- 
gardener's  art.  To  them  sky-lines,  the  winter  with 


HOME   GROUNDS  151 

its  bare  branches,  and  the  summer  with  its  green 
foliage,  make  no  appeal.  A  similar  statement  might 
be  made  with  regard  to  the  work  of  painters  and 
musicians,  yet  a  knowledge  and  appreciation  of 
painting  and  music  add  greatly  to  one's  comfort 
and  enjoyment  in  life,  and  so  would  a  knowledge 
of  landscape-gardening  and  an  appreciation  of  the 
beauty  of  nature.  The  landscape-gardener  can  do 
no  more  useful  thing  for  his  client  than  to  teach 
him  to  see  this  beauty,  since,  by  so  doing,  he  will 
give  him  more  pleasure  in  living  during  the  entire 
remaining  portion  of  his  life.  The  space  which 
has  been  called  "the  front  yard"  and  which  may 
lie  on  at  least  three  sides  of  a  house  is  especially 
adapted  to  show  natural  beauty  because  it  is  seen 
so  constantly.  "Front  yard"  may  not  be  the  best 
term  to  apply  to  this  space.  It  has  been  called 
the  owner's  Garden  of  Eden,  and  it  is  a  garden  in  its 
best  sense,  yet  to  use  the  term  "garden"  might 
bring  to  mind  a  vegetable-  or  flower-garden,  features 
which  should  ordinarily  be  kept  out  of  the  front 
yard.  This  yard  may  indeed  have  many  flowers, 
but  these  blossoms  should  come  naturally  like  those 
on  a  hawthorn,  crab-apple,  lilac,  or  in  a  peony  or 
iris  bed.  Such  flowers  do  not  interfere  with  the 


1 52  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

feeling  of  repose  that  should  exist  in  the  front 
yard.  To  insure  this  feeling,  the  public  street 
should,  in  a  large  measure,  be  excluded  from  view, 
especially  that  part  nearest  the  house.  It  has 
sometimes  been  said  that  a  home  owner  should 
not  be  selfish,  that  he  should  allow  the  public  to  see 
his  beautiful  grounds.  In  answer  to  this,  it  may 
be  said  that  for  the  public  a  glimpse  into  such 
grounds,  a  glimpse  leading  to  the  exercise  of  one's 
imagination,  is  far  more  interesting  than  to  have 
the  property  entirely  exposed  to  view.  Such 
glimpses  can  be  provided  without  destroying  privacy. 

In  many  cases,  the  walk  to  the  front  door  may 
lie  within  the  front  yard  and  be  bordered  with 
flowers.  Another  allowable  feature  is  a  bird  bath, 
provided  this  is  unobtrusive  and  conveniently 
placed  beneath  the  branches  of  a  tree,  or  near  a 
group  of  shrubs  where  birds  can  preen  their  feathers 
after  bathing.  A  sun-dial  on  the  north  side  of  a 
front  yard,  or  perhaps  on  a  terrace,  or  the  south 
wall  of  the  house,  is  unobjectionable,  but  it  should 
not  stand  in  the  middle  of  a  lawn. 

.With  smaller  houses,  the  dining-room  and  living- 
room  may  be  united  into  one,  and  if  a  house  is  quite 
small,  even  the  kitchen  may  be  included  in  this 


HOME   GROUNDS  153 

one  room.  In  like  manner,  a  small  yard  may  com- 
prise more  features  than  should  be  contained  in  a 
large  one.  For  the  sake  of  retaining  the  largest 
available  space  about  a  house,  a  small  yard  may 
even  include  the  flower-  and  kitchen-gardens,  and 
occasionally  the  service  yard  as  well.  In  describ- 
ing the  front  yard,  the  aim  has  been  to  call  to  mind 
what  is  ideal,  an  arrangement  of  grounds  and  plant- 
ing that  will  give  most  pleasure  to  the  intelligent 
and  appreciative. 

FLOWER-GARDENS 

When  one  thinks  of  the  best,  one  often  uses  in 
connection  with  it  the  word  flower,  as  the  flower 
of  manhood,  the  flower  of  the  army,  the  flower  of 
youth.  Perhaps  something  of  the  same  idea  is 
present  when  one  thinks  of  the  most  charming 
part  of  a  plant.  Many  delightful  books  have  been 
written  about  flower-gardens,  and  it  would  seem 
that  the  designing  of  such  gardens  ought  to  be  a 
profession  by  itself.  There  might  be  designers  for 
different  kinds  of  gardens,  one  making  a  specialty 
of  formal  gardens,  another  of  bog-gardens,  and  so 
on  through  the  list,  including  gardens  of  special 
flowers  like  roses,  peonies,  chrysanthemums,  and 


1 54  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

iris  ;  or  special  colors,  as  blue  and  white,  or  blue  and 
yellow ;  or  special  localities,  as  alpine  gardens  and 
rock-gardens ;  or  special  positions,  as  wall-gardens 
and  terrace-gardens  ;  or  of  a  special  time  of  the  year, 
as  a  spring-garden  or  winter-garden.  As  there  are 
books  treating  of  almost  every  kind  of  garden  and 
giving  details  of  kinds  of  flowers  and  methods  of 
cultivation,  the  flower-garden  here  will  be  considered 
only  in  its  relations  to  other  features  of  the  home 
grounds. 

While  there  should  be  flowers  in  the  front  yard, 
the  flower-garden  proper,  devoted  entirely  to  the 
raising  of  plants  which  are  conspicuous  or  note- 
worthy for  their  bloom,  should  occupy  a  somewhat 
less  commanding  position.  I  It  might  perhaps  be 
seen  with  advantage  from  the  end  of  a  terrace  or 
veranda  or  from  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  house,  but 
when  the  grounds  have  sufficient  size,  the  flower- 
garden  should  be  subordinate  to  the  front  yard. 
Sometimes  it  might  with  advantage  be  separated 
entirely  from  the  house  and  reached  only  by  a 
path  which  could  be  made  an  interesting  feature 
by  covering  it  with  vines  carried  on  suitable  sup- 
ports or  bordering  it  with  special  plants.  A  flower- 
garden  may  be  planned  as  an  attractive  feature  in 


HOME   GROUNDS  155 

itself  to  be  seen  out-doors,  or  it  may  be  for  the 
purpose  of  raising  cut-flowers  for  table  or  house 
decoration.  It  is  well  if  it  can  become  the  pet  or 
hobby  of  one  of  the  members  of  the  household.  One 
may  make  a  specialty  of  hardy  chrysanthemums, 
of  peonies,  gladioli  and  dahlias  or  wild  flowers. 
Ordinarily  a  flower-garden  will  be  near  the  vege- 
table-garden for  convenience  in  cultivation,  the 
two  being  taken  care  of  by  the  same  men.  With 
limited  ground,  the  stable  and  chicken  yard,  if  these 
exist,  will  not  be  far  away.  There  may  be  a  separate 
garden  for  roses.  This  should  be  reached  con- 
veniently from  the  house,  but  as  it  has  much  bare 
ground  and  is  for  cut-flowers  mainly,  it  should 
not  form  a  prominent  feature  of  the  landscape.  Wild- 
gardens,  being  usually  a  natural  arrangement  of 
native  flowers  with  graceful  lines  and  cloud-like 
shapes,  may  very  properly  appear  here  and  there 
in  the  front  yard.  They  may  intermingle  with  the 
shrubbery  or  cover  the  ground  under  trees  or  fill 
a  meadow-like  area.  If  the  home  grounds  are 
large  enough  for  woods,  the  wild  flower-garden 
may  be  in  a  natural  opening  in  these  woods  or  may 
indeed  pervade  their  whole  extent,  forming  a  beauti- 
ful ground  cover,  especially  in  early  spring.  I 


1 56  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

Happily,  in  designing  flower-gardens  and  other 
landscape  work,  there  is  more  freedom  than  exists 
in  architecture,  and  one  may  take  advantage  of  any 
charming  feature  pertaining  to  the  lands  selected 
for  a  home.  Some  persons  believe  that  because 
one  builds  an  Italian  house,  there  should  be  an 
Italian  garden,  forgetting  the  dissimilarity  of  cli- 
mate, soil,  and  topography,  and  the  impossibility 
of  raising  cypresses  and  other  plants  found  in  the 
formal  gardens  of  Italy,-  or  even  plants  resembling 
them.  There  is  more  reason  for  imitating  a  co- 
lonial garden,  because  the  climate  and  soil  in  this 
country  now  are  substantially  the  same  that  they 
were  one  or  two  hundred  years  ago.  There  is  a 
fascination  in  the  flowers  that  our  grandmothers 
raised,  aside  from  their  intrinsic  beauty.  Still  there 
have  been  changes  which  would  naturally  lead  to 
variation  in  gardens  and  home  grounds.  When  the 
country  was  new,  it  was  nearly  all  covered  with 
woods,  and  an  opening  covered  partly  with  a  vel- 
vety lawn  and  planted  with  the  flowers  that  had 
been  brought  from  England,  Holland,  France,  Ger- 
many, and  Sweden  seemed  the  most  attractive  of 
home  surroundings.  Now  that  the  woods  have 
largely  disappeared  from  those  regions  where  there 


HOME  GROUNDS  157 

is  most  home  building,  the  native  growth  is  more 
appreciated.  Nothing  in  nature  is  more  charm- 
ing than  woods,  delightful  for  children  to  visit  and 
interesting  even  to  older  people.  One  should  have 
this  charm  in  intimate  relationship  with  one's  home, 
having  woods  when  possible  as  a  boundary  of  the 
front  yard,  or  a  background  for  the  flower-garden. 
A  copse  or  spur  from  the  edge  of  woods  might  even 
extend  toward  the  house  to  separate  the  front  yard 
from  the  garden,  and  lengthwise  through  the  center 
of  this  copse  a  path  might  lead  to  the  wood  bound- 
ary and  with  an  opening  to  the  flower-garden. 

VEGETABLE-GARDENS 

In  city  and  suburban  homes,  vegetable-gardens 
can  very  properly  be  introduced  for  two  purposes  : 
one,  to  give  pleasure  to  owners  who  might  take  de- 
light in  seeing  lettuce,  strawberries,  peas,  parsley, 
onions,  beets,  carrots,  and  other  vegetables  growing, 
just  as  they  would  in  looking  at  a  flower-garden ; 
the  other,  the  pleasure  of  having  fresh  vegetables 
which  are  far  better  than  those  which  have  lain  in  a 
grocery  one  or  two  days.  Vegetables  which  are 
purchased  are  usually  far  cheaper  than  those  which 
are  raised,  but  they  are  not  as  good  unless  they  can 


1 58  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

be  bought  directly  from  a  gardener  within  an  hour  or 
two  of  the  time  they  are  gathered.  If  one  takes  care 
of  his  own  garden,  there  would  be  compensation  in 
the  exercise  and  good  health.  One  would  also  have 
the  keen  and  justifiable  satisfaction  that  comes  from 
producing  or  raising  things  with  one's  own  hands. 

There  are  advantages  in  having  the  vegetables 
and  flower-gardens  near  each  other.  The  barn  and 
chicken-house  may  be  close  at  hand,  but  preferably 
not  seen  from  the  house.  This  will  make  it  conven- 
ient for  supplying  the  gardens  with  manure  and 
other  fertilizers,  and  tools  can  be  kept  in  one  of  the 
buildings.  Fruit-trees  and  small-fruits  can  be  raised 
in  connection  with  the  garden.  Fruit-trees  and 
nut-trees  are  beautiful  and  may  sometimes  be  com- 
bined with  other  trees  to  give  a  picturesque  effect ; 
or  if  the  grounds  are  small,  two  or  three  apple  or 
nut-trees  might  be  all  that  would  be  needed  for 
shade.  Raspberries,  on  account  of  the  color  of  the 
bark,  are  sometimes  used  for  winter  decoration 
the  same  as  red-branched  dogwoods  or  Carolina 
roses.  Even  vegetables  may  sometimes  be  em- 
ployed for  decoration,  especially  in  very  small  places 
where  the  entire  ground  might  be  devoted  to  vege- 
tables and  flowers.  , 


HOME  GROUNDS  159 

TERRACES 

It  has  sometimes  been  stated  that  the  archi- 
tectural lines  of  the  house  should  be  carried  out  a 
certain  distance  by  the  straight  lines  of  terraces, 
balustrades,  and  trimmed  hedges.  A  terrace  is 
really  a  part  of  a  house  and  should  be  designed  and 
built  by  the  architect.  If,  however,  the  landscape- 
gardener  is  called  into  consultation  with  the  owner 
and  architect,  as  he  should  be,  there  are  several 
questions  to  be  considered :  (a)  Will  the  terrace 
be  useful  and  serve  a  purpose  which  would  not  be 
cared  for  equally  well  by  the  ground  ?  (b)  Will 
the  terrace  cut  off  a  view  of  a  valley,  hillside,  or 
other  attractive  feature  of  the  landscape  as  seen 
from  the  windows  of  the  room  or  rooms  facing  the 
proposed  terrace  ?  (c)  Will  a  terrace  improve  the 
appearance  of  the  house  as  seen  from  the  usual 
viewpoints  ? 

(a)  The  usefulness  of  a  terrace  will  depend  some- 
what on  the  climate,  the  time  of  day  it  would  be 
frequented,  the  side  of  the  house  on  which  it  is 
placed,  and  the  habits  of  the  family.  Normally  a 
terrace  is  a  place  to  walk  or  sit  in  the  open  air.  lit 
is  an  outdoor  extension  of  the  rooms  facing  on  it, 


160  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

and  so  would  be  useful  when  there  are  large  gather- 
ings. It  may  serve  also  as  a  place  on  which  to 
exhibit  special  plants,  generally  those  which  are  not 
hardy  and  must  be  kept  in  a  greenhouse  or  a  con- 
servatory during  the  winter.  A  terrace  is  usually 
a  favorable  spot  from  which  to  observe  the  land- 
scape and,  if  it  were  shaded  from  the  afternoon 
sun,  might  in  summer  serve  all  the  purposes  of  a 
living-room. )  If  a  house  is  located  upon  a  side  hill 
a  terrace  may  very  properly  be  carried  out  from  the 
end  of  the  building  when  its  length  is  parallel  to  the 
contours  of  the  hill.  In  this  situation  a  terrace 
would  give  room  for  comfortable  circulation  which 
would  not  be  provided  by  the  ground  itself.  When, 
however,  the  ground  is  nearly  level  and  the  house 
is  set  low,  there  may  be  no  occasion  for  building 
any  terrace. 

(b)  If  the  house  is  on  a  side  hill  and  located  as 
suggested    in   (a),  a  terrace  at  its  side  would  very 
likely  cut  off  the  view  of  the  valley  below,  which 
would  be  of  far  more  interest  than  the  terrace  itself 
to  the  persons  looking  from  the  windows. 

(c)  Occasionally  a  terrace  may  give  to  a  house 
better  proportions.     Care  should  be  taken,  however, 
to  avoid  cutting  off  a  view  of  the  house  as  seen  from 


HOME  GROUNDS  161 

a  point  far  below.  When  a  terrace  would  obstruct 
a  view  of  the  valley  as  seen  from  the  dwelling,  it 
would  also  cut  off  a  portion  of  the  house  when  seen 
from  the  valley.  A  broad  terrace  often  gives  to  a 
house  the  appearance  of  standing  on  depressed 
land  when  the  viewpoint  is  below  the  level  of  the 
terrace. 

HEDGES 

Trimmed  hedges  are  not  as  pleasing  in  appear- 
ance as  those  having  natural  outlines,  but  sometimes 
they  are  necessary,  as  an  untrimmed  hedge  would 
become  too  high.  If  the  plants  used  for  a  hedge 
have  interesting  blossoms  or  fruit,  these  are  usu- 
ally cut  off  or  prevented  from  developing  when  the 
hedge  is  trimmed.  In  some  instances,  it  is  allow- 
able for  a  trimmed  hedge  to  take  the  place  of  a 
balustrade. 

HOUSE    SURROUNDINGS 

The  fear  that  some  persons  have  of  bringing 
natural  beauty,  that  is,  the  beauty  of  untrimmed 
trees  and  bushes,  of  natural  slopes,  ravines,  streams, 
and  lakes,  near  a  house,  would  seem  to  be  ground- 
less, since  there  can  be  no  more  objection  to  having 
a  window-frame  inclose  a  beautiful  picture  which 


162  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

the  objects  named  would  make,  than  there  is  to 
having  a  similar  picture  hung  on  the  wall  of  a  room. 
It  is  often  possible  to  improve  the  appearance  of  a 
house  as  it  is  seen  from  a  distance  by  planting  so 
as  to  correct  its  proportions,  soften  its  lines  or  hide 
those  parts  which  ought  not  to  be  seen.  There  is 
hardly  any  building  so  beautiful  that  it  cannot  be 
improved  by  planting  so  as  to  leave  something  to 
the  imagination. 

WOODS 

•  In  what  has  already  been  said  regarding  home 
grounds,  some  mention  has  been  made  of  woods, 
but  this  feature  has  not  been  emphasized  suffi- 
ciently. On  city  lots  and  grounds  of  moderate 
size  in  any  location,  it  will  hardly  be  possible  to 
have  a  bit  of  forest,  since  the  open  sky  with  sun- 
shine is  more  valuable  than  a  collection  of  trees, 
but  even  in  such  locations  a  thicket  which  has  most 
of  the  characteristics  of  woods  on  a  small  scale 
might  be  introduced. 

To  illustrate,  a  lot  having  a  width  of  one  hundred 
feet,  or  perhaps  less,  might  have  in  one  corner  a 
thicket  with  red-buds  at  the  back,  then  hawthorns 
and  perhaps  a  black  haw  or  an  elderberry  (Fig.  32). 


HOME  GROUNDS 


163 


Underneath  this  the  leaves  might  be  allowed  to 
remain  and  protect  wild  flowers,  like  anemones, 
erythroniums,  trilliums,  and  bloodroots.  A  thicket 
of  this  kind  would,  for  the  most  part,  take  care  of 


FIG.  32.  — THE  WINTER  LANDSCAPE.  A  view  from  a  library  window  looking 
into  woods  which  might  extend  indefinitely,  but  in  reality  are  not  over  one 
hundred  feet  in  depth. 


ROCK.- 


FIG.  33.  —THE  LAYOUT  OF  A  PRIVATE  PLACE.  With  Figs.  34  to  40,  it  illus- 
trates the  development  of  a  place  of  medium  size.  Lot  is  100  feet  wide  by 
approximately  300  feet  in  length  and  lies  between  a  street  and  Rock  River 
at  Dixon,  Illinois. 


HOME  GROUNDS 


165 


itself,  and  with  grounds  of  larger  size  the  thicket 
might  be  extended  into  a  respectable  forest  through 
which  paths  might  lead  to  interesting  objects. 
America  is  rich  in  species  of  trees  and  shrubs  and 


FIG.  34.  —  IN  THE  BEGINNING.     View  from  "D"  on  plan  (Fig.  33),  looking 
toward  river,  1909. 

also  in  native  flowers,  and  one  who  is  developing  an 
American  home  ought  certainly  to  make  use  of  some 
of  the  material  close  at  hand,  and  thus  develop  a 
restful  retreat  which  might  with  propriety  be  called 
"an  American  garden."  (Figs.  33  to  40.) 


FIG.  35.  —  To  START  WITH.     View  from  "C"  on  plan  shown  In  Fig.  33,  look- 
ing toward  street  at  time  lot  was  purchased,  1909. 


FIG.  36. — THE  HOUSE  IN  THE  LANDSCAPE.     View  showing  relation  of  house 

to  river. 


HOME  GROUNDS 


167 


FIG.  37.  —  AN  UNIMPROVED  PART  OF  THE  LANDSCAPE.     Valley  used  for  po- 
tatoes in  1911.     Natural  growth  of  trees  and  bushes  on  bank  preserved. 


FIG.  38.  — THE  BUILDING  STAGE.     View  of  house  just  after  completion  in 
Fall  of  1914.     Elm  tree  preserved. 


168  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


pIG>  ^g.  —  THE  EFFECT  OF  PLANTING.     House  as  seen  from  island  in  river. 
Note  elm  shown  in  second  photograph. 


HOME  GROUNDS  169 

(_A  retreat  of  this  kind  will  give  its  owner  and  his 
friends  endless  diversion  and  entertainment.  It  will 
also  increase  his  interest  in  all  that  vegetation  which 
comes  of  itself  along  roadsides,  margins  of  woods  and 


FIG.  40.  — THE  OFFSCAPE.     View  from  house  to  Rock  River. 

streams  and  other  out-of-the-way  places.  It  is  this 
awakening  of  our  senses  to  the  beauty  that  exists 
wherever  nature  is  given  an  opportunity  to  show  her 
charms  that  will  add  zest  to  life,  give  individuality 
to  one's  home,  and  a  value  to  grounds  far  beyond 
that  which  they  may  have  in  money.  \ 


CHAPTER   IX 

FARMS 

THE  importance  of  farms  in  the  life  of  the  country 
entitles  them  to  a  separate  chapter,  even  though 
they  are  usually  but  one  variety  of  home  grounds. 
Farms  might  be  thought  of  as  the  cradle  of  the 
nation.  The  farms  do  more  for  the  cities  than  to 
furnish  them  food.  They  supply  people  for  the  cities 
as  well.  Since  the  average  city  family  does  not  last 
through  more  than  three  or  four  generations,  the 
population  of  a  city  must  be  replenished  continually 
from  the  country.  On  this  account,  not  only  does 
the  food  supply  of  the  nation  depend  on  the  farms 
but  also  its  stability  and  character  to  a  very  large 
degree.  The  most  influential  citizens  usually  live 
in  cities,  but  they  or  their  antecedents  came  from 
the  country.  Our  strong  men  owe  their  strength  and 
ruggedness  of  character  to  the  farms  from  which 
they  sprang,  and  to  these  farms  they  often  wish  to 

return  in  their  old  age. 

170 


FARMS  171 

These  facts  have  been  mentioned  to  show  the  im- 
portance of  the  farm  life  in  that  of  the  nation  as  a 
whole,  and  the  great  benefit  that  may  result  from 
any  improvement  in  the  appearance,  comfort  and 
convenience  of  this  feature  of  national  life.  It  is 
very  important,  therefore,  to  consider  the  farm 
from  a  landscape-gardening  point  of  view.  With 
the  good  roads  that  are  developing  and  with  auto- 
mobiles, auto-trucks  and  telephones,  the  social  status 
of  the  farm  will  be  greatly  improved.  Indeed  the 
farmer,  living  where  he  can  have  good  air  to  breathe 
and  .beautiful  scenery  to  look  at,  may  become  the 
aristocrat  (using  the  word  in  its  best  sense)  1  of 
the  future. 

Some  of  the  questions  to  be  considered  on  the  farm 
and  matters  that  will  bring  about  improved  condi- 
tions are  here  briefly  discussed. 

Where  should  the  house  be  placed  ?  The  answer 
would  be  based  on  three  considerations,  namely,  con- 
venience, comfort,  and  appearance.  For  conven- 
ience, a  house  should  sometimes  be  situated  near  the 
highway,  but  this  is  not  always  true.  There  are 
cases  in  which  a  more  central  location  is  desirable 

1  "Aristocrats  are  everywhere,  they  may  have  titles  or  they  may  have  none. 
They  are  those  who  think  they  owe  their  best  to  God  and  men  and  they  serve." 

PRICE  COLLIER. 


172  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

on  account  of  the  ease  with  which  different  parts 
of  the  farm  may  be  reached  from  it.  This  would 
often  be  true  of  a  dairy  farm  where  the  cows  during 
a  series  of  years  would  go  from  the  barn,  which  would 
be  conveniently  near  the  house,  to  every  field  for 
pasture.  A  central  location  requires  only  short  lanes 
to  different  fields  and  would  save  time  in  hauling 
hay  and  other  crops  to  the  storage  place.  The  loca- 
tion of  the  water  supply  would  have  a  bearing  on 
the  decision  as  to  the  building  site. 

The  demands  of  comfort  call  for  protection  from 
cold  winds  in  winter,  the  benefit  of  cooling  breezes 
in  summer,  and  sometimes  more  seclusion  than  ac- 
companies a  location  near  the  highway.  The  shade 
of  trees  is  also  desirable  to  mitigate  the  heat  of  July 
and  August.  The  site  should  have  good  drainage 
for  air  as  well  as  for  water. 

For  appearance,  the  site  of  the  house  should  usually 
be  on  relatively  high  land.  It  should  command 
good  views  and  be  favorably  situated  with  regard 
to  existing  trees  or  other  growth  of  value.  On  the 
farm  a  house  can  usually  be  placed  without  much  re- 
gard to  the  street  or  boundary  lines,  that  is,  the  im- 
portant room  or  rooms  can  face  a  favorable  breeze 
or  view. 


FARMS  173 

What  planting  should  be  done  ?  If  there  are  no 
trees  about  the  site  which  is  otherwise  favorable  for 
the  house,  trees  can  be  planted.  The  list  from  which 
to  choose  would  include  all  native  forest  trees  as  well 
as  those  introduced  from  other  countries.  Nut- 
and  fruit-trees  as  well  as  the  usual  ornamental  sub- 
jects are  quite  appropriate  for  planting  about  a  group 
of  farm  buildings. 

Before  considering  the  planting,  a  plan  for  the 
various  farm  buildings  should  be  made  in  which 
these  are  placed  conveniently  and  picturesquely 
with  regard  to  each  other.  The  barn  and  other 
structures  should  be  near  the  house  for  convenience, 
yet  far  enough  away  so  that  the  noise  of  the  animals 
and  fowls  will  not  be  disturbing.  The  house  should 
occupy  a  commanding  position  with  regard  to  the 
other  buildings  and  the  farm  itself.  Care  should 
be  taken  to  place  the  barn,  the  chicken-house  and 
other  equipment  where  they  will  not  cut  off  from 
the  house  a  desirable  breeze  or  view.  When  the 
buildings  have  been  planned  with  regard  to  each 
other  and  also  with  due  reference  to  farm  operations, 
a  planting  scheme  can  be  made.  The  suggestions 
in  the  preceding  chapter  are  just  as  applicable  to  a 
farmer's  home  as  to  a  city  or  suburban  home.  The 


174  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

object  in  planting  should  always  be  to  make  the  sur- 
roundings beautiful.  The  farmer  and  his  family 
need  a  "front  yard,"  a  piece  of  ground  covered  with 
restful  turf  and  surrounded  with  trees  far  enough 
apart  to  give  views  of  the  surrounding  country.  A 
farmer's  wife  and  daughters  will  receive  as  much 
enjoyment  from  a  rose-garden  or  an  old-fashioned 
flower-garden  as  would  their  city  cousins.  The 
barn-yard,  the  flower-garden,  the  chicken  yard,  the 
clothes  yard,  and  other  features  may  be  separated 
from  each  other  by  lilacs  and  other  old-fashioned 
shrubs.  Evergreens  also  may  be  planted,  perhaps 
more  than  will  ultimately  be  needed,  the  surplus 
being  either  sold  or  used  from  time  to  time  as 
Christmas  trees. 

An  up-to-date  farm  will  have  a  good  supply  of 
water  under  pressure  and  a  little  of  this  should  be 
used  for  a  bird-bath,  or  preferably  for  several  such 
baths,  which  can  be  placed  near  trees  or  bushes 
where  the  birds  can  preen  their  feathers. 

The  re-stating  of  a  few  rules  for  planting  will  be 
in  place  here  : 

(i)  Arrange  the  planting  so  that  an  ample 
supply  of  sunshine  will  reach  the  windows  of  the 
house. 


FARMS  175 

(2)  Plant  so  that  the  other  buildings  will  be  at 
least  partially  hidden  from  the  house. 

(3)  Arrange  the  trees  so  that  the  best  views  will 
be  preserved  and  framed. 

(4)  Plant  trees   and   shrubs   that   are  pleasing  in 
themselves  on  account  of  their  branches,  blossoms, 
foliage  or  fruits  and  arrange  them  in  irregular,  grace- 
ful, harmonious  groups. 

(5)  Plant  shrubs  to  make  a  setting  for  the  house. 
The  shrubs   selected  will   depend  on   the  height  of 
the  window   sills,   the   exposure,  --  that   is   whether 
on  the  east,  west,  north  or  south  side  of  the  house, 

-  and  the  personal  taste  of  those  responsible  for 
the  plan. 

(6)  Introduce   hardy   perennials   where   they  will 
have  a  good  background  and  will  thrive,  but  do  not 
put  flowers  in  the  central  part  of  the  front  yard. 

(7)  Do  not  plant  deeper  than  plants  stood  in  the 
place  from  which  they  were  moved.     This   applies 
especially  to  trees  and  shrubs. 

(8)  Cultivate  newly  planted  material  as  one  would 
a  vegetable-garden  from  May  to  the  last  of  Augustc 

(9)  If  water  becomes  necessary,  use  water  copiously 
so  the  ground  will  be  soaked  and  then  omit  watering 
for  one  or  two  weeks.     Rake  or  hoe  the  surface  of 


176  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

the  ground  that  has  been  watered  as  soon  as  it 
dries. 

(10)  Plant  evergreens  in  cloudy  or  drizzly  weather. 
Evergreen  roots  should  never  be  exposed  to  sunlight. 

(n)  Plants  received  from  a  nursery  should  be 
put  in  the  ground  as  soon  as  possible  after  they  are 
received.  If  they  cannot  be  placed  permanently 
when  they  arrive,  heel  them  in  for  a  few  days. 

(12)  Learn  to   see  beauty   during   all   seasons   of 
the  year  in  the  things  that  are  planted. 

(13)  Mulching  will  protect  fall  planting  and  will 
serve  partially  as  a  substitute  for  cultivation. 

(14)  After  trees  and  shrubs  become  established, 
do  very  little  trimming,  cutting  only  dead  branches 
and  those  which  interfere  with  walks  or  drives.     Cut 
such  branches  at  their  junction  with  the  trunk  or 
with  a  larger  branch. 

THE    FARM    FOREST 

The  question  will  arise  as  to  whether  the  farm 
should  have  a  wood-lot  and  if  so  what  it  should  con- 
tain and  where  it  should  be  located.  Foresters  will 
reply  that  every  farm  should  have  a  wood-lot  for 
the  wood  and  lumber  that  it  will  furnish.  They 
will  state  that  a  wood-lot  will  often  save  a  trip  to 


FARMS 


177 


town  for  a  stick  of  tim- 
ber, and  will  often  make 
the  farmer  independent 
of  coal  strikes.  Even 
though  coal  is  obtain- 
able, a  fire-place  for 
wood  makes  a  house 
cheerful  and  every 
farmer  should  have  one 
and  cut  a  supply  cf 
wood  for  it  from  his 
own  land.  In  the  re- 
gions cf  hilly  land,  as 
New  York  and  New 
England,  the  wood-lot 
is  a  natural  part  of  the 
farm. 

A  wood-lot  is  a  desir- 
able feature  for  the 
farm  from  the  point  of 
view  of  a  landscape- 
gardener  even  more 
than  from  that  of  a 
forester  (Fig.  41).  An 
area  of  woods  helps  to 


178  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

vary  the  sky-line  and  make  it  interesting  and 
beautiful.  The  woods  the'mselves  are  charming 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  The  beauty  of  the 
country  usually  includes  that  of  many  farms,  and 
the  various  wood-lots  belonging  to  different  owners 
frame  in  the  distant  views  to  be  seen  from  any  house. 
Study  the  effect  of  areas  of  woods  from  car  windows 
and  think  how  monotonous  would  be  the  appearance 
of  the  country  if  these  woods  were  removed.  Note 
at  the  edge  of  a  pasture  a  single  great  elm  or  a  group 
of  oaks  underneath  whose  branches  cows  are  resting 
during  the  heat  of  a  summer  day,  a  picture  of  com- 
fort and  utility  as  well  as  beauty. 

That  farmer  is  most  fortunate  who  has  a  bit  of 
original  forest  on  his  land ;  an  area  that  has  never 
been  cleared  and  contains  a  variety  of  growth.  Com- 
pare such  an  area  in  New  York  or  Ohio  with  a  prairie 
tree-claim  where  the  tree  plantation  is  made  up  en- 
tirely of  soft  maples  or  box  elders.  In  the  former, 
there  will  be  sugar  maples,  beeches,  oaks,  sycamores, 
black  walnuts,  butternuts,  lindens,  ashes,  tulip  trees, 
hickories,  elms,  hawthorns,  crab-apples,  red-buds, 
dogwoods,  sassafras  and  many  others,  a  combination 
that  gives  interest  to  life,  while  the  latter  area  covered 
with  one  short-lived  tree  has  a  deadly  monotony. 


FARMS  179 

In  selecting  trees  for  a  wood-lot  that  must  be 
planted,  one  should  use  many  kinds,  endeavoring 
to  reproduce  as  far  as  possible  all  the  interesting 
features  of  the  natural  forest,  not  forgetting  the 
wild  flowers.  The  entire  lives  of  farmers'  sons  and 
daughters  will  be  enriched  and  made  happier  if 
they  have  an  acquaintance  with  the  native  growth 
that  has  been  suggested  above  and  with  the  birds 
and  animals  that  would  take  refuge  in  this  growth. 

While  called  a  "  wood-lot,"  it  need  not  be  a  square 
or  regular  shaped  area.  It  might  stretch  along  a 
highway  to  which  it  will  add  comfort  and  attractive- 
ness as  well  as  to  that  of  the  farm.  It  might  cover 
a  hill-side  or  any  irregular  ground  that  is  not  espe- 
cially adapted  to  cultivation,  or  it  might  extend 
along  the  borders  of  a  stream  or  lake. 

A  variety  of  trees  has  been  recommended,  but 
this  does  not  mean  that  in  suitable  places  there  should 
not  be  groves  of  nut-trees  or  sugar  maples  for  the 
production  of  a  valuable  crop.  One  of  the  delights 
of  a  farm  should  be  the  gathering  of  nuts  or  the 
making  of  sugar. 

Ordinarily  a  wood-lot  should  not  be  pastured. 
Pasturing  destroys  the  undergrowth  and  allows  the 
wind  to  dry  out  the  ground  so  that  the  trees  them- 


i8o  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

selves  gradually  die.  An  exception  might  be  made 
to  this  rule  when  there  is  low  land  along  streams, 
lands  subject  to  frequent  overflow  and  so  unsuitable 
for  plowing.  Such  soil  is  usually  rich  and  moist  and 
well  adapted  for  pasture.  To  have  scattering  tall 
trees  upon  this  land  with  a  few  low-growing  haw- 
thorns would  not  diminish  materially  its  value  as  a 
pasture  and  would  make  it  beautiful.  The  foliage 
of  hawthorns  is  eaten  to  some  extent  by  cattle,  but 
these  trees  protect  themselves  sufficiently  by  their 
thorns  to  enable  them  to  increase  gradually  in  size. 
They  not  only  protect  themselves  but  they  frequently 
protect  a  bed  of  adder-tongues,  bloodroots,  trilliums, 
hepaticas  or  anemones  underneath  their  branches. 

In  situations  like  that  described  in  the  above  para- 
graph, care  should  be  taken  to  protect  the  banks  of 
the  stream  from  erosion  and  at  the  same  time  allow 
the  cattle  to  have  a  liberal  and  convenient  supply 
of  water.  The  growth  of  trees  and  bushes  along 
concave  banks  should  be  protected  by  fencing. 
There  will  usually  be  some  low  sloping  borders  of 
the  stream  where  cattle  may  enter  it  without 
harm. 

In  starting  a  forest  or  wood-lot,  small  trees  should 
be  chosen.  Often  it  is  best  to  plant  year-old  seed- 


FARMS  181 

lings  and  sometimes  acorns  or  nuts.  Trees  grow 
faster  than  one  thinks,  and,  with  a  multitude  of 
small  trees  placed  not  very  far  apart,  a  forest  soon 
develops.  The  advantages  of  this  method  are  that 
all  the  ground  is  occupied  from  the  start  and  all  is 
covered  with  a  mulching  of  leaves  in  the  autumn 
which  will  enrich  the  land.  With  such  a  plantation 
of  small  trees,  the  strongest  get  the  start  so  that  the 
future  forest  of  large  trees  will  be  made  up  of  healthy 
strong  individuals.  Such  a  forest  is  also  beautiful 
from  the  beginning.  The  trees,  to  a  large  extent, 
take  care  of  each  other  so  that  the  farmer  need  give 
them  but  little  attention.  Squirrels  and  other  ani- 
mals would  dig  for  acorns  and  nuts,  so  it  is  often  an 
advantage  to  plant  year-old  seedlings. 

In  addition  to  planting  about  the  house  and  other 
buildings  and  the  wood-lot,  the  farm  has  other  fea- 
tures that  will  count  in  the  landscape.  Usually, 
the  more  or  less  undulating  fields  are  beautiful. 
There  is  beauty  in  the  bare  ground,  finely  pulverized 
and  well  prepared  to  receive  the  seed  for  the  next 
crop ;  in  the  young  green  blades,  when  first  seen 
against  the  dark  earth,  and  later,  when  the  grown 
crop  waves  in  the  wind,  it  has  something  of  the  charm 
of  a  large  body  of  water.  The  mere  mention  of 


1 82  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

wheat,    rye,    corn,    clover,    alfalfa   and   other   crops 
brings  to  mind  something  pleasing  to  look  at. 

THE  FARM  ORCHARD  AND  OTHER  FEATURES 

Orchards  are  noted  for  their  beauty,  and  though 
they  are  attractive  at  all  seasons,  they  are  especially 
handsome  when  in  bloom  or  when  full  of  fruit.  Small- 
fruits,  blackberries,  raspberries,  currants,  goose- 
berries and  strawberries,  are  often  most  attractive 
in  appearance.  l]. 

Also,  a  farm  may  have  springs  surrounded  by 
charming  wild  growth,  creeks,  ponds,  and  lakes., 
Here  and  there  about  a  farm  there  may  be  individual 
trees  or  groups  of  trees.  Every  farmer's  boy  and 
girl  should  learn  to  swim,  skate,  row,  and  paddle, 
either  by  taking  advantage  of  some  body  of  water 
connected  with  their  own  farm  or  that  of  a  neighbor, 
or  by  going  to  a  township  or  a  county  park. 

Important  though  the  beauty  of  the  farm  may  be, 
there  is  something  of  still  greater  importance,  and 
that  is  that  the  farmer  and  his  family  shall  see  and 
appreciate  this  beauty.  If  they  can  do  this,  they 
are  of  all  persons  the  most  fortunate.  Other  men 
and  women  work  in  their  offices,  their  shops,  their 
factories  and  their  kitchens  all  their  lives  until  their 


FARMS  183 

declining  years,  when  they  are  likely  to  seek  a  home 
in  the  country  so  that  they  can  spend  the  few  remain- 
ing years  in  enjoyment.  The  farmer  can  spend  not 
only  his  declining  years  but  his  entire  life  in  enjoying 
nature.  He  can  always  have  the  trees,  bushes  and 
many  of  the  other  interesting  features  that  have 
been  named. 

When  a  farmer  sees  none  of  the  beauty  of  the 
country ;  when  he  looks  on  his  life  as  one  of  drudgery ; 
when  he  seeks  merely  to  earn  dollars  and  compares 
his  often  meager  income  with  that  of  wealthy  men  in 
the  city;  his  declining  years  are  likely  to  arrive  too 
early  in  life.  He  may  be  old  when  he  has  reached 
the  age  of  forty  or  fifty.  When  he  sees  the  beauty 
of  nature ;  when  he  realizes  the  comfort  that  he  en- 
joys, the  satisfaction  of  breathing  pure  air,  of  having 
freedom  beyond  that  of  most  men,  the  pleasure  of 
listening  to  the  songs  of  birds,  looking  at  the  ex- 
panse of  sky,  the  beauty  of  woodlands,  of  sunrises 
and  sunsets ;  when  he  takes  a  philosophical  view 
of  life ;  when  he  solves  the  various  farm  problems 
with  intelligence  and  wise  foresight ;  his  declining 
years  may  be  postponed  far  beyond  those  of  the 
average  man.  With  the  ideal  farmer's  life,  such 
years  may  never  be  reached. 


184  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  beauty  of  the  farm,  the  farm  which  is  the 
foundation  of  our  prosperity  and  most  of  our  happi- 
ness, leads  to  that  love  of  country  which  is  true 
patriotism. 


CHAPTER  X 

LANDSCAPE-GARDENING  FOR  ARID  AND 
SEMI-ARID  REGIONS 

SINCE  writing  the  previous  chapters,  the  follow- 
ing communication,  which  will  serve  as  a  text  for 
the  present  one,  has  been  received  from  the  Editor 
of  the  Rural  Science  Series: 

"I  was  standing  in  the  office  of  one  of  the  educa- 
tional institutions  of  a  western  state  looking  out 
at  the  bare  bald  hills.  A  woman  in  the  office  who 
had  recently  been  East,  remarked  to  me  that  in  the 
part  of  the  country  she  visited  all  the  hills  were 
spoiled  by  the  forests.  She  said  it  was  a  relief  to 
get  back  to  the  West  where  the  hills  stood  out  by 
themselves,  and  she  could  see  all  the  outlines  and 
all  the  shadows  and  not  have  them  covered  by  a  mere 
growth  of  trees.  This  raises  a  very  important  ques- 
tion for  half  of  the  geographical  area  of  our  country. 
What  is  to  be  the  type  of  landscape-gardening  in  the 
great  treeless  or  semi-arid  West  where  millions  of 

185 


1 86  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

people  are  going  to  live  ?  About  their  homes  they 
will  have  a  little  irrigated  patch  perhaps,  but  the 
landscape  must  be  a  natural  one  in  all  the  regions 
beyond.  In  many  parts  of  the  country  they  will 
not  even  have  irrigation  about  their  homes,  as  they 
practice  dry-farming,  which  is  the  process  of  getting 
one  crop  in  two  years  or  two  crops  in  three  years  by 
such  methods  of  tillage  as  will  save  all  the  rainfall 
and  make  use  of  the  moister  parts  of  the  year 
for  getting  their  crops  started.  From  the  point 
of  view  of  the  old  landscape-gardening  these  areas 
seem  to  be  hopeless ;  yet,  numbers  of  persons  must 
live  in  these  regions  and  there  ought  to  be  some  way 
whereby  the  artist  can  develop  for  them  a  new  type 
of  satisfaction.  All  our  artistic  conceptions  of  land- 
scape-gardening seem  to  be  drawn  from  humid  coun- 
tries, as,  indeed,  our  common  agriculture  is  so  drawn  ; 
but  more  than  half  of  the  land  surface  of  the  earth 
receives  a  rainfall  of  less  than  twenty  inches  and  has 
a  set  of  problems  of  its  own.  I  often  wonder  what 
would  be  the  character  of  our  landscape  art  if  it  had 
been  developed  first  in  a  semi-arid  country." 

What  can  a  landscape-gardener  do  for  a  treeless 
region  ?  While  he  can  sometimes  improve  appear- 
ances by  grading  or  by  using  rocks  in  an  artistic  way, 


ARID  AND   SEMI-ARID   REGIONS         187 

his  work,  to  a  very  large  extent,  is  connected  with 
the  growth  of  vegetation.  Ordinarily,  he  needs  trees 
for  shade,  for  sky-lines  and  for  beauty  of  foliage, 
branches,  flowers  and  fruit.  He  needs  shrubs  and 
herbaceous  plants  for  their  beauty  and  to  cover  the 
ground,  since  it  is  his  ideal  to  have  all  ground  occupied 
with  growing  plants  excepting  that  taken  by  roads, 
walks,  bowlders,  and  protruding  rock.  Where  plants 
are  lacking,  what  can  be  done  to  make  a  home  com- 
fortable and  beautiful  ? 

There  is  hardly  any  locality  that  need  be  entirely 
destitute  of  plants,  even  though  these  may  be  only 
cacti,  yuccas,  and  sage-brush.  The  outlines  of  build- 
ings as  silhouetted  against  the  sky  are  always  impor- 
tant, but  are  of  special  significance  in  a  treeless  re- 
gion. Usually,  buildings  in  such  a  region  should  be 
broad  and  low.  In  arranging  buildings  for  comfort, 
the  prevailing  winds  and  the  climate  should  be  stud- 
ied in  the  western  states  just  as  in  the  East.  In 
arranging  a  home  in  New  Mexico  or  Arizona,  which 
are  typical  arid  states,  the  points  to  be  considered 
might  be  enumerated  as  follows :  — 

I.    Views. 

Large  areas  in  New  Mexico  and  Arizona  com- 
mand attractive  mountain  views.  There  are  also 


188  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

beautifully  colored  rocks,  of  all  shapes  and  sizes 
and,  apparently,  of  endless  extent.  There  are  often 
rolling  surfaces  supporting  at  least  a  slight  vege- 
tation, although,  to  eastern  eyes,  large  areas  in 
these  western  states  seem  to  be  worthless  barren 
wastes.  There  are  persons  who  delight  in  the  color 
effects  and  the  immense  distances  in  this  region. 
Houses  here,  just  as  in  wooded  regions,  would  be 
placed  so  that  the  rooms  habitually  occupied  would 
command  the  best  views. 

2.  Breeze. 

Advantage  would  be  taken  of  prevailing  winds 
to  secure  the  greatest  amount  of  comfort  by  placing 
homes  so  they  will  be  protected  from  cold  and  disagree- 
able winds,  by  hills,  and  also  have  the  advantage  of 
the  breezes  that  add  to  one's  pleasure  in  summer. 

3.  Elevation. 

Even  though  it  may  be  unnecessary  to  take  any 
precautions  with  regard  to  drainage,  high  land  would 
naturally  be  chosen  as  a  site  for  a  house  for  the  sake 
of  air  and  a  commanding  view  of  the  surrounding 
country. 

4.  Planting. 

There  should  undoubtedly  be  some  planting. 
There  must  be  water  to  drink  and  for  cooking,  to 


ARID  AND   SEMI-ARID   REGIONS         189 

say  nothing  of  bathing,  and  with  water  for  these 
purposes  enough  could  probably  be  obtained  for 
house  plants  and  vines.  There  should  also  be  a. 
vegetable-garden,  and  to  conserve  moisture  for  this 
a  surrounding  growth  of  bushes  would  be  advanta- 
geous. Experiments  have  shown  that  even  a  slight 
breeze  doubles  the  evaporation  from  the  ground  and 
a  strong  wind  has  a  marked  effect.  Bushes,  there- 
fore, by' checking  the  wind,  help  to  keep  the  garden 
moist  so  that  vegetables,  which  are  important  for 
food,  can  be  grown.  The  surrounding  bushes  can 
be  varied  in  outline,  especially  along  the  outer  mar- 
gin, thus  making  an  interesting  detail  in  landscape. 
It  may  not  be  feasible  in  an  arid  region  to  have  many 
'  trees,  but  a  single  specimen,  perhaps  a  pine  or  a  red 
cedar  like  those  one  sees  from  trains  in  passing  through 
New  Mexico,  can  usually  be  so  placed  with  reference 
to  the  house  as  to  make  a  picture  for  one  to  look  at 
when  approaching  the  home.  Such  a  tree  will  also 
give  shade  and  make  the  view  from  a  house  more 
interesting. 

The  problem  for  a  landscape-gardener  in  any  loca- 
tion is  to  make  the  most  of  the  available  materials. 
It  is  wise  always  to  work  in  harmony  with  what 
nature  has  done  in  the  surrounding  territory.  In 


190  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

any  locality,  whether  dry  or  moist,  planting  material 
should  be  used  which  is  indigenous  to  the  region  or 
which  grows  in  some  other  locality  having  a  similar 
soil  and  climate.  In  dry  sections,  as  has  already 
been  suggested,  use  can  be  made  of  several  species 
of  shrubs  generally  known  as  sage-brush,  although 
in  many  cases  this  is  not  a  correct  appellation.  In 
some  dry  localities,  a  cactus  garden  perhaps  in  com- 
bination with  rocks  would  be  appropriate  and  in- 
teresting. There  are  also  numerous  herbaceous 
plants  which  come  into  bloom  even  in  our  so-called 
desert  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  and  which  are 
exceedingly  interesting.  These  can  be  used  about 
one's  home  as  a  ground  cover  and  are  often  attrac- 
tive even  when  dry.  They  do  not  always  make  a 
suitable  carpet  to  walk  on,  but  paths  along  the 
routes  usually  traveled  may  be  made  with  stepping 
stones,  gravel  or  any  other  suitable  material  that 
may  be  available. 

It  is  unwise  to  attempt  to  change  Colorado  or 
Arizona  to  give  them  the  appearance  of  Ohio  or 
Georgia,  but  much  can  be  done  to  make  the  homes 
in  these  and  other  western  states  attractive.  The 
writer  has  been  to  western  towns  when  they  were 
entirely  destitute  of  trees  and  seemed  to  him  most 


ARID  AND   SEMI-ARID   REGIONS         191 

forlorn  and  ugly  in  appearance.  After  a  lapse  of 
several  years,  he  has  again  seen  these  towns  con- 
taining a  growth  of  shade  trees,  bushes  and  flowers. 
This  is  an  indication  of  what  can  be  done  if  there 
is  an  inclination  to  improve  appearances.  Here  as 
elsewhere  the  important  thing  for  the  landscape- 
gardener  to  do  is  to  teach  persons  to  see  and  ap- 
preciate natural  beauty.  He  should  also  point  out 
the  attractive  local  features,  designating  how  these 
can  be  taken  advantage  of  or  improved,  and  stimulate 
that  action  on  the  part  of  the  inhabitants  which 
will  give  them  a  feeling  of  satisfaction  and  pride  in 
their  surroundings.  It  is  certainly  a  satisfactory 
state  of  aifairs  when  each  one  can  think  his  own 
locality  the  best  one  in  the  world  in  which  to  live. 
Let  the  western  woman  continue  to  admire  the 
bare  plains  and  mountains  which  to  eastern  eyes 
often  seem  dreary  and  forbidding,  but  point  out  to 
her  how  touches  of  growth  here  and  there  near  her 
house  may  enhance  the  mountain  view  and  make 
her  immediate  surroundings  home-like  and  attractive. 


CHAPTER  XI 
PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES 

A  STATEMENT  was  made  at  the  beginning  of  this 
book  that  its  purpose  is  to  help  make  the  country 
more  beautiful.  To  accomplish  this  result,  nothing 
will  contribute  more  than  the  improvement  of  the 
condition  and  appearance  of  public  thoroughfares. 
It  is  from  these  thoroughfares  or  highways  that  one 
sees  the  beauty  of  cities,  villages,  farms,  parks,  lakes, 
rivers  and  woods,  as  well  as  that  of  the  highway 
itself.  With  the  improved  physical  condition  of  the 
roads,  the  country  itself  will  become  more  beauti- 
ful, because  farmers  will  be  more  prosperous  and 
so  better  able  to  have  attractive  homes  and  farms. 
They  will  become  more  appreciative  of  their  sur- 
roundings, more  reluctant  to  have  disreputable- 
looking  barn-yards  or  slovenly  house  surroundings 
and  more  anxious  to  own  grounds  and  farms 
which  the  increased  number  of  passers-by  will 

admire. 

192 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  193 

It  is  unfortunate  that  in  locating  highways  better 
judgment  was  not  exercised.  While  our  system  of 
dividing  land  into  sections  one  mile  square  and  frac- 
tions of  sections  is  admirable  for  describing  land 
areas,  the  location  of  roads  on  the  boundaries  of 
these  sections  is  often  a  mistake  from  a  practical  as 
well  as  an  aesthetic  point  of  view.  Many  farmers, 
on  account  of  section  line  roads  which  often  go  up 
hill  and  down,  have  had  to  lift  all  the  produce  hauled 
to  market  many  feet  unnecessarily  and  travel  many 
miles  farther  than  would  have  been  the  case  had  the 
roads  been  laid  out  wisely.  Some  of  the  mistakes 
can  perhaps  be  corrected  in  the  building  of  state 
roads.1 

Curved  highways,  while  in  most  cases  shorten- 
ing the  distance  to  be  traveled,  and  allowing  roads 
on  easy  grades  to  be  constructed  economically,  have 
the  additional  merit  not  only  of  looking  better  than 

1  A.  R.  Hirst,  State  Highway  Engineer  of  Wisconsin,  in  his  Presidential 
address  at  the  fifth  annual  meeting  of  the  American  Association  of  State  High- 
way Officials  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  December,  1919,  states,  as  reported  in  "Good 
Roads,"  that  the  value  of  a  mile  in  highway  distance  saved  where  there  are 
only  one  hundred  vehicles  a  day  would  be  $3650.00,  which,  capitalized  at  five 
per  cent,  would  be  $73,000.00.  If  there  were  two  hundred  and  fifty  vehicles, 
the  saving  a  mile  on  the  same  basis  would  be  $182,500.00.  It  is  not  at  all 
uncommon  for  a  thoroughfare  entering  one  of  our  larger  cities  to  accommodate 
one  thousand  vehicles  or  more.  For  a  mile  saved  on  such  a  thoroughfare  the 
gain  would  be  $730,000.00  or  more.  With  this  inducement  for  making  "short 
cuts,"  it  seems  probable  that  many  roads  will  be  changed. 

o 


194  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING  ^ 

straight  roads,  but  also  of  giving  the  country  as  a 
whole  a  better  appearance.  In  England,  which  is 
usually  considered  the  most  beautiful  country  of  its 
size  in  the  world,  nearly  all  the  roads  are  curved. 
The  beauty  of  New  England  is  due  largely  to  its 
curved  roads  which  were  made  before  the  United 
States  section  laws  were  adopted.  Look  at  any  one 
of  the  older  roads  which  was  used  in  advance  of  the 
government  survey  and  see  how  much  better  it  fits 
the  ground  and  how  much  better  looking  it  is  than 
the  more  modern  straight  highway.  As  a  city 
develops,  some  of  these  original  thoroughfares, 
mere  trails  at  first,  usually  become  its  leading 
arteries. 

Even  with  straight  highways  laid  out  with  the 
customary  width  of  sixty-six  feet,  there  is  a  chance 
for  much  variation  from  a  straight  line  in  the  road 
which  usually  requires  only  sixteen  feet,  and  it  is 
interesting  to  see  how  the  lines  of  travel  in  unpaved 
roads  are  frequently  on  long  graceful  curves,  per- 
haps to  avoid  a  valley,  the  steep  part  of  a  hill,  or 
a  group  of  trees  or  bushes.  In  many  cases  it  would 
be  wise  for  the  highway  commissioners,  when  they 
put  in  concrete,  macadam,  or  brick  for  a  permanent 
roadway,  to  follow  the  easy  graceful  lines  of  travel. 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES 

Often  there  would  be  a  gain  in  economy  as  well  as 
in  beauty  by  so  doing. 

The  importance  of  having  good  drainage,  easy 
grades  and  solid  road-beds  is  becoming  well  under- 
stood by  highway  engineers,  so  no  space  will  be  given 
to  these  matters  here.  Where  grades  change,  how- 
ever, some  engineers  are  inclined  to  make  this  change 


FIG.  42.  —  PROFILE  OF  ROAD.  The  upper  profile  indicates  the  character  of 
grades  not  unusual  in  cities  with  long  straight  sections  connected  by  compara- 
tively short  curves.  The  lower  profile  is  a  continuous  curve  which  gives 
a  more  satisfactory  appearance. 

too  abruptly,  so  that  the  road  profile  appears  angular 
instead  of  curved  as  it  should  (Fig.  42). 

At  the  road  intersections,  when  for  some  reason 
the  center  lines  do  not  meet,  there  is  an  opportunity 
frequently  to  use  curves  to  advantage  so  that  there 
will  be  a  continuous  roadway  without  jogs  (Fig.  43). 
In  cities  with  paved  streets  and  curbs,  the  radius  of 
curvature  of  the  curb  at  corners  should  be  long  enough 
so  that  an  automobile  can  follow  the  curb  closely  in 
turning  to  the  cross  street.  A  radius  of  at  least 


196 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


twenty  feet  would  be  required.  This  may  seem  to 
be  a  matter  connected  with  engineering  rather  than 
landscape-gardening,  but  the  landscape-gardener  is 
concerned  with  the  appearance  of  the  street  as  a 
whole  and  if  it  does  not  fit  its  purpose,  and  is  not 


GO.A.CS. 


FIG.  43. —  THE  CROSSING.  This  shows  in  full  lines  an  actual  street  inter- 
section where  roads  do  not  meet,  a  dangerous  arrangement  causing  conges- 
tion. Dotted  lines  with  curves  having  long  radii  of  curvature  show  a  better 
arrangement. 

comfortable  to  use,  it  will  not  have  a  good  appear- 
ance. 

The  walk  or  path  along  the  side  of  a  highway 
should  have  the  same  freedom  that  is  here  advocated 
for  roadways.  Sometimes,  in  the  country,  a  path 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  197 

will  not  be  required  along  the  highway,  but  when 
it  is  needed,  it  should,  in  most  places,  be  separated 
from  the  road  by  a  planted  strip  of  land.  The  loca- 
tion of  the  path  may  be  anywhere  between  the  land 
required  for  vehicles  and  the  property  line.  Its 
grade  may  be  above  or  below  that  of  the  road,  pro- 
vided it  is  well  drained  and  that  it  is  not  crossed  by 
a  private  drive.  For  example,  if  the  highway  passes 
along  the  side  of  a  hill  and  the  foot-path  is  on  the 
side  toward  the  foot  of  the  hill,  its  grade  may  with 
comfort  and  safety  be  lower  than  that  of  the  road- 
bed upon  which  vehicles  travel,  while  the  path  on 
the  opposite  side  could  be  above  the  road  grade,  pro- 
vided always  that  these  paths  have  profiles  that  are 
not  too  steep.  When  roads  and  paths  or  walks  have 
been  constructed  with  proper  lines  and  grades,  plant- 
ing should  be  begun.  By  skilfully  using  for  planting 
that  portion  of  highways  not  needed  for  vehicles 
or,  pedestrians,  all  thoroughfares  might  be  made 
charming. 

Such  planting  has  usually  been  left  to  the 
abutting  property  owners  and,  of  course,  has  fre- 
quently been  omitted  altogether.  If  the  appear- 
ance of  country  roads  is  to  become  what  it  should  be, 
the  supervision  of  the  planting  must  be  a  matter  for 


198  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

the  highway  officials  to  attend  to  as  well  as  the  con- 
struction of  the  road-bed  itself,  and  these  officials 
should  include  among  their  number,  or  be  advised 
by,  a  competent  landscape-gardener.  In  some  states 
no  attention  whatever  is  given  to  the  planting  here 
advocated,  while  other  states,  like  New  York  and 
Massachusetts,  are  making  intelligent  progress.  The 
old  idea  of  having  a  row  of  trees  on  each  side  of  a 
highway,  the  trees  in  the  rows  being  spaced  at  uni- 
form intervals,  is  giving  way  to  the  more  artistic 
arrangement  of  groups  placed  in  a  natural  way. 
These  groups  may  contain  both  trees  and  shrubs. 
The  tree  growth  may  be  that  of  one  species  or  of 
several,  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  shrubs  and  also 
of  the  herbaceous  material  that  may  contribute  to 
the  general  effect.  With  this  freedom  of  arrangement, 
a  wide  space  between  groups  may  be  left  where 
there  is  a  notable  view,  and  again  where  there  is  no 
view  the  groups  may  be  close  together  or  contin- 
uous for  a  long  stretch  of  highway.  By  adopting 
this  method,  highways  might  become  as  attractive 
as  any  natural  road  through  the  woods.  The  native 
species,  or  those  of  similar  type  and  character,  are  to 
be  preferred,  both  because  they  match  the  landscape 
and  because  they  are  hardy  and  dependable. 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES 


199 


THE    HILLSIDE    ROAD       (FigS.  \.\    and  45) 

A  road  leads  from  the  city  out  into  the  country, 
its  general  direction  lying  from  south  to  southeast. 
At  first  it  traverses  comparatively  level  land  and 


FIG.  44.  —  A  HILLSIDE  ROAD.     Often  difficult,  but  full  of  possibilities. 


200  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

then  enters  a  valley,  bounded  on  the  east  or  left  by 
a  ridge  having  gradually  sloping  sides,  and  on  the 
west  by  a  rather  steep  bluff.  The  highway  in  ques- 
tion follows  along  the  east  side  of  the  valley,  gradually 
climbing  the  broad  ridge.  The  valley  is  good  farm- 
ing land  with  pasture  and  cultivated  fields.  The 
time  is  October.  The  bluff  on  the  west  side  of  the 
valley  is  covered,  for  the  most  part,  with  sugar  maples 
which  are  brilliantly  colored  in  the  morning  sun. 
The  broad  ridge  which  the  highway  is  following  is 
old  pasture  land,  some  of  the  fields  being  thickly 
sprinkled  with  hawthorns  which  ^  the  cattle  have 
trimmed  into  characteristic  shapes.  Many  of  these 
have  grown  above  the  browsing  line  and  are  covered 
with  red  fruits.  Little  ravines  cross  the  highway  and 
carry  surface  water  underneath  through  pipes  or 
culverts.  At  the  first  point  in  this  mind  picture, 
where  the  drive  begins  to  follow  the  ridge,  the  road- 
way curves  slightly  toward  the  left,  and  the  sloping 
roadside  toward  the  ridge  is  covered  with  Virginia 
creepers  carrying  red  leaves  and  dark-bluish  berries. 
Then  there  is  a  roadside  covering  of  wild  roses  with 
red  fruits  and  dark  red  stems.  On  the  right,  the 
valley  side,  is  first  a  group  of  elms  which  shade  the 
road  and  frame  the  landscape.  Continuing  toward 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES 


201 


the  south  is  a  spreading  group  of  hawthorns.     Be- 
yond the  hawthorns  there  is  a  long  opening  through 


^  *** 


FIG.  45.  —  THE  HILLSIDE  ROAD.    Sketch  of  detail  of  the  road. 


202  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

which  the  valley  is  seen,  at  this  point  being  about  a 
mile  wide.  In  the  valley  are  green  wheat  fields  in 
good  condition  for  the  coming  winter.  There  are 
other  fields  containing  shocks  of  corn,  farm  buildings 
nestling  among  groups  of  trees  and  shrubs,  and  pas- 
ture land  with  scattering  herds  of  cattle.  The  open- 
ing through  which  these  are  seen  is  bounded  along 
the  roadside  by  a  growth  of  wild  roses  and  elder- 
berries, and  is  terminated  at  the  south  side  with  an 
extended  group  of  sugar  maples.  After  passing  the 
maples,  the  road  follows  a  nearly  straight  course 
for  some  distance,  and  then  turns  to  the  right,  but 
gradually  reverses,  passing  around  a  transverse  ridge 
which  is  covered  with  native  woods.  The  growth 
seen  immediately  in  front,  as  one  approaches  this 
turn  to  the  right,  is  largely  composed  of  hemlocks 
and  yellow  birches.  There  are  also  touches  here  and 
there  of  red-branched  dogwoods,  and  shortly  before 
reaching  the  turn  there  is  a  ravine  which  is  included 
in  the  woodland  and  separated  from  the  pasture  by 
a  fence.  Looking  up  this  ravine,  at  the  bottom  of 

'which  there  is  a  running  stream,  one  can  see  a  large 

t 

sycamore  with  its  white  trunk.  Around  the  base 
of  the  sycamore  and  extending  up  and  down  the 
stream  are  patches  of  Indian  currants  with  their 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  203 

wine-colored  berries.  One  can  see  also  along  the 
sides  of  the  ravine  areas  of  prickly  ash,  elderberries 
and  wild  roses,  and,  in  the  distance,  a  winterberry 
brilliant  with  its  scarlet  fruit.  This  ravine,  extending 
into  the  woods  at  the  left,  makes  a  delightful  picture. 
The  road  continues  around  the  wooded  hill  in  which 
grow  oaks,  maples,  birches  and.  hemlocks,  and  as  it 
turns  back  along  the  southwesterly  slope  it  passes 
an  attractive  farm-house  occupying  a  commanding 
position  with  regard  to  the  valley  (Fig.  46).  This 
house  is  framed  by  great  elm  trees  like  the  noted  elms 
of  New  England.  The  house  itself  seems  to  have 
every  appearance  of  comfort.  It  not  only  commands 
most  attractive  views,  but  it  receives  sunshine  and 
favorable  breezes.  The  elm  trees  mentioned  are 
along  the  highway  and  are  flanked  by  lilacs.  Be- 
yond the  house,  covering  the  foot  of  the  hill,  is  an 
apple  orchard  which  partly  screens  a  group  of  farm 
buildings.  After  passing  this  scene  of  domestic 
comfort  and  thrift,  the  road  turns  to  the  southeast, 
skirting  the  southwest  slope  of  the  hill,  and  crosses 
another  transverse  valley.  It  continues  on  until 
the  two  sides  of  the  valley  come  together,  the  charac- 
ter of  the  country  remaining  much  like  that  just 
described.  Here  and  there  along  the  highway  are 


204 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


groups  of  various  trees,  sometimes  a  great  white  oak 
with  an  accompaniment  of  sumachs,  sometimes  a 
collection  of  sugar  maples,  then  a  giant  black  walnut, 
then  a  grove  of  bur  oaks  flanked  with  hawthorns,  an 


^W^..o.£.c-,r^  -    S* 

^^==~~~^&^^^^ 


FIG.  46.  —  THE  SCENERY  EN  ROUTE.     Sketch  of  part  of  hillside  road. 

extensive  thicket  of  choke  cherries,  black  haws  and 
tooth-leaved  viburnums.  Here  and  there  are  mar- 
gins of  a  bit  of  woods  containing  beeches  and  sugar 
maples  and  so  on  until  a  distant  village  is  reached. 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  205 

Growing  along  the  highway,  which  is  often  bounded 
by  stone  walls,  are  frequent  thickets  of  hazel  bushes 
interspersed  and  bordered  with  goldenrods  and  asters. 
Throughout  the  whole  extent  of  this  country  road 
there  are  beautiful  things  to  look  at,  trees  and  shrubs 
in  great  variety,  often  rich  in  autumn  coloring.  The 
road-bed  itself  gradually  ascends  to  the  head  of  the 
valley  on  a  grade  never  exceeding  five  per  cent.  It 
has  a  smooth  hard  surface  bordered  with  a  strip  of 
land  which  continues  the  slope  of  the  road  and  is 
covered  with  grass  or  other  hardy  low  vegetation, 
and  this,  in  turn,  is  bordered  perhaps  on  a  steep  bank 
by  the  growth  described.  The  curves  of  the  road 
are  so  easy  that  an  automobile  can  move  safely  on 
high  speed  and  still  the  beauty  of  the  road  itself  and 
the  country  it  traverses  is  such  that  it  is  tempting 
to  one  who  likes  to  walk  and  can  take  his  time  to 
enjoy  scenery.  While  the  road  is  always  curved 
it  changes  its  direction  so  gradually  that  approaching 
vehicles  can  be  seen  at  a  long  distance,  so  that  the 
element  of  danger  is  reduced  to  a  minimum. 

This  imaginary  road  merely  gives  a  hint  of  the 
beauty  of  a  highway  which  reaches  out  to  a  country 
southeast  of  a  large  city,  not  only  of  the  beauty  of 
the  highway  itself  but  also  of  the  country  on  either 


206  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

side.  It  reaches  the  farming  district  along  lines 
which,  though  curved,  are  reasonably  direct.  The 
distance  along  this  highway  to  its  destination  is 
much  shorter  than  two  straight  sides  of  a  right  angle, 
one  side  of  which  runs  north  and  south,  and  the 
other  east  and  west.  Moreover,  the  cost  of  the 
grading,  construction  and  maintenance  of  the  road 
outlined  above  would  be  far  less  than  that  of  roads 
constructed  through  the  same  country  on  straight 
lines. 

THE    RIVER    ROAD        (Fig.  47) 

A  broad  deep  river  flows  southwest  from  another 
large  city.  Within  the  town  the  river  is  traversed 
by  bridges,  but  in  other  places  it  can  only  be  crossed 
by  boats,  so  that  it  serves  as  a  barrier  for  all  vehicles 
and  pedestrians.  Along  the  left  bank  of  this  river  is 
a  ridge  of  land  of  which  the  highest  part  lies  just 
above  high  water  mark.  Back  of  this  ridge  the  land 
is  relatively  low  so  that  during  time  of  extremely  high 
water  it  is  flooded.  An  indigenous  forest  growth 
covers  the  ridge  and  its  steep  banks  sloping  toward 
the  river  and  also  the  low  land.  Upon  the  ridge  a 
roadway  has  been  constructed.  For  a  traveler  along 
this  roadway  the  woods  furnish  constant  entertain- 
ment. From  it,  at  frequent  intervals,  and  occasion- 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES 


207 


ally  for  long  stretches,  the  interesting  opposite  bank 
of  the  river  is  seen  as  well  as  the  river  itself.  This 
opposite  bank  is  steep  and  high,  reaching  in  places 


FIG.  47.  —  A  RIVERSIDE  DRIVE.     Utilizing  neglected  opportunities. 

an  elevation  of  one  hundred  feet  above  the  ordinary 
river  level.  It  is  likewise  covered  with  a  forest 
growth  mostly  of  oak,  but  in  springtime  one  could 
pick  out  here  and  there  against  the  gray  mass  of  stems 


208  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

the  flowers  of  red-buds,  juneberries,  wild  plums  and 
dogwoods,  and  near  the  river  a  slight  yellowish  tinge 
from  the  blossoms  of  spice-bush.  A  little  later  there 
will  be  light  pink  areas  from  the  flowers  of  the  wild 
crab-apple  and  the  leaves  of  the  oaks  will  appear  in 
various  delicate  tints.  Sometimes  there  will  be  boats 
upon  the  river.  The  near-at-hand  growth  along  the 
margins  of  the  river  road  just  mentioned  is  largely 
made  up  of  lindens,  elms,  hackberries,  soft  maples, 
sycamores  and  hawthorns,  with  here  and  there  a 
clump  of  willows.  Underneath  the  hawthorns,  the 
ground  is  covered  with  anemone  blossoms  in  the 
spring  and  with  little  red  apples  in  fall.  Aside  from 
the  trees  mentioned,  there  is  a  growth  of  various 
bushes  including  our  red-branched  dogwoods,  elder- 
berries, spice-bushes,  Carolina  roses,  viburnums  and 
a  shrub-like  stand  of  pawpaws.  In  places,  also,  the 
ground  is  covered  with  mandrakes,  adder-tongues, 
bloodroots,  hepaticas,  trilliums,  bluebells,  iris  and 
ferns.  This  area,  mostly  covered  with  original  forest 
extending  for  several  miles  along  the  river,  has  been 
converted  into  a  public  park.  It  is  not  adapted  to 
ordinary  cultivated  crops  because  of  the  inundations 
that  occur  at  least  once  a  year  and  sometimes  oftener. 
It  can  be  imagined  that  this  river  road,  with  its 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  209 

varied  scenery,  will  be  popular  for  those  who  wish  to 
take  an  after-dinner  ride  in  their  automobiles  during 
the  long  evenings  of  May,  June  and  July.  The  words 
"river  road"  suggest  something  interesting.  Our 
native  forest  growth  is  becoming  every  year  more 
and  more  precious  and  this  forest  if  preserved  for 
one  hundred  years  or  more  will  be  priceless  in  value. 

The  birds  that  frequent  the  river  and  the  woods 
will  be  objects  of  interest  to  those  who  watch  for 
them.  The  kingfishers  will  be  sure  to  be  on  hand 
and  occasionally  one  will  be  fortunate  enough  to 
see  a  blue  heron,  a  few  ducks  or  other  water  fowl.  If 
one  goes  into  the  woods  and  sits  quietly  in  the  eve- 
ning, one  may  be  rewarded  with  a  song  of  a  wood- 
thrush  and  at  other  times  in  the  day  one  may  be 
fortunate  enough  to  see  robins,  catbirds,  orioles, 
tanagers,  indigo  birds,  rose-breasted  grosbeaks,  blue- 
jays  and  occasionally  cardinal  birds.  During  late 
spring  and  early  summer,  whippoorwills,  night  hawks 
and  swallows  may  fill  the  evening  with  sound. 

From  this  highway,  roads  branch  toward  the 
south.  At  first  it  was  thought  best  to  restrict  the 
driving  along  the  river  road  to  pleasure  vehicles, 
but  later  it  was  concluded  to  allow  all  the  farmers 

who  would  use  this  road  as  the  most  direct  route  to 
p 


210  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

the  city  to  have  the  benefit  of  the  river  scenery.  In 
addition  to  the  road,  there  is  a  path  along  the  river 
side  for  those  who  wish  to  walk,  and  seats  have  been 
provided  wherever  there  are  favorable  outlooks.  At 
two  places  creeks  pass  underneath  the  drive,  carry- 
ing their  supply  of  water  to  the  river,  and  the  main 
forest  above  described  has  spurs  of  forest  growth 
extending  along  the  banks  of  these  creeks  far  out 
into  the  country. 

There  are  situations  where  this  imaginary  drive 
might  become  a  reality,  giving  pleasure  forever  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  city  who  delight  in  the  river 
drive  and  also  to  the  farmers  who  would  continue 
to  use  it  for  generations,  and  toward  whose  farms  the 
river  road  makes  a  direct  line  of  communication 
from  the  city.  Perhaps,  in  some  instances,  a  lake 
might  take  the  place  of  the  river,  or  the  main  road 
might  follow  the  course  of  a  comparatively  narrow 
stream  with  steep  high  banks.  From  such  a  road 
branches  leading  to  the  farming  country  might 
emerge  through  tributary  valleys  of  smaller  size. 
The  aim  should  be  to  preserve  the  natural  beauty 
of  the  country,  while  seeking  at  the  same  time  direct- 
ness and  convenience  in  lines  of  travel.  By  planting 
in  certain  places  and  preserving  openings  where  there 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES 


211 


are  good  views, 
one  picture  after 
another  will  be 
presented  to  the 
delighted  eyes  of 
a  traveler. 

(Fig.   48)     THE 

PRAIRIE    ROAD 

The  two  im- 
aginary roads  al- 
ready described 
in  outline  had 
special  features 
to  make  them 
interesting.  One 
passed  through  a 
rolling  country 
with  hills  and  val- 
leys and  wooded 
areas.  The  other 
followed  a  river, 
the  banks  of 
which  were  also 
wooded.  The 


MJifil 


1 

£j^5^2£. 


.  .._.    .  ___  . 


FIG.  48.  —  THE  PRAIRIE  ROAD. 


212  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

third  road  extends  directly  north  from  a  prairie  town 
through  a  country  that  is  almost  level,  a  treeless 
region  with  very  large  farms.  What  can  be  done  to 
make  such  a  road  interesting  ?  The  land  stretches 
in  every  direction  to  the  sky  excepting  where  the 
farmers  have  built  homes  or  planted  wood-lots.  It 
may  be  taken  for  granted,  as  one  starts  out  on  this 
road,  that  it  has  been  built  for  a  long  time  and  the 
farmers  are  "old  settlers."  As  this  road  emerges 
from  town,  it  leaves  a  street  lined  with  elm  trees 
which  frame  in  the  more  open  spaces  of  the  country 
ahead.  The  roadway  itself  is  a  little  higher  than 
the  adjoining  prairie  land.  It  is  sixteen  feet  in 
width  and  has  a  nearly  level  shoulder  on  each  side. 
Beyond  the  shoulder  is  a  depression  for  surface  drain- 
age and  beyond  the  depression  near  the  fence  on  each 
side  is  a  path  worn  by  pedestrians.  Before  reaching 
the  large  farms,  there  are  cottages  with  truck-gar- 
dens and  a  few  fruit-trees.  Beyond  these,  in  the 
^egion  of  the  large  farms,  planting  has  added  to  the 
beauty  and  comfort  of  the  thoroughfare.  There 
is  a  continual  growth  of  low  vegetation  between  the 
paths  on  either  side  and  the  edge  of  the  roadway. 
This  includes  grass,  extensive  areas  of  wild  roses, 
aromatic  sumach,  wild  grapes,  Virginia  creepers, 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  213 

virgin's  bower,  bittersweet,  ironweed,  goldenrod, 
shooting-stars,  strawberries,  cinquefoils,  Jerusalem 
artichokes,  asters  and  other  herbaceous  plants. 
There  are  also  shrubs  of  higher  growth,  but  these 
usually  appear  in  a  group  with  certain  trees.  Soon 
after  leaving  town,  the  road  is  arched  by  groups  of 
giant  cottonwoods  growing  on  either  side,  and  at 
the  base  of  these  are  elderberries.  Beyond,  near  a 
farm-house,  one  sees  a  group  of  bur  oaks.  These 
are  not  as  large  as  the  cottonwoods.  It  would  take 
another  hundred  years  to  bring  them  to  maturity, 
but  they  are  already  beautiful  trees,  and  in  time  no 
tree  will  surpass  them  in  rugged  dignity.  Some  of 
these  trees  stand  in  the  highway  and  others  in  the 
front  yard  of  the  farmer's  house  (Fig.  49).  At  the 
corner  of  his  yard  is  a  thicket  of  wild  crab-apples,  and 
then  along  his  front  line  come  prairie  roses  and  haw- 
thorns. Near  by,  along  the  highway,  is  an  orchard 
which  helps  to  carry  the  sky-line  up  to  the  top  of  the 
bur  oaks,  and  the  growth  about  the  farm  buildings  is 
balanced  by  a  wood-lot  which  has  been  planted  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  road  but  far  enough  to  the 
north  so  that  the  morning  sun  will  appear  early  at 
the  farmer's  home.  This  wood-lot,  planted  by  a 
farmer  who  had  moved  from  one  of  the  middle 


214 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


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PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  215 

states,  was  intended  to  reproduce  the  character  of 
the  woods  with  which  he  had  been  familiar.  Pass- 
ing this  farm-house  and  wood-lot,  one  reaches  rela- 
tively open  areas  and  looks  across  fields  to  homes 
on  various  cross  roads.  Then  the  road  again  be- 
comes shaded,  this  time  with  sycamores  which  reach 
their  untrimmed  spreading  branches  quite  across 
the  roadway  as  though  the  trees  on  one  side  were 
shaking  hands  with  those  on  the  other,  and  here 
again  is  the  same  combination  that  was  seen  in  the 
ravine  mentioned  with  the  first  road,  a  grouping  of 
sycamores  with  extensive  stretches  of  Indian  cur- 
rants. 

After  passing  the  sycamores  and  again  looking  off 
over  the  surrounding  country,  the  road  passes  be- 
tween thickets  of  hawthorns  of  perhaps  a  hundred 
different  varieties.  It  would  pay  one  to  travel  out 
from  town  in  the  spring  to  see  these  hawthorns  when 
they  are  in  bloom,  or  again  in  the  fall  covered  with 
fruit  and  richly  colored  foliage.  Some  distance  be- 
yond the  belts  of  thorns  are  thickets  of  wild  plums 
leading  up  to  Kentucky  coffee  trees,  and  these,  in 
turn  to  honey  locusts.  Protected  by  one  of  the  wild 
plum  thickets  is  a  red-bud  showing  its  pink  blossoms 
above  the  white  flowers  of  its  neighbors.  Extending 


216  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

north  from  the  honey  locusts  are  other  trees  forming 
almost  an  arboretum.  These  include  all  the  oaks 
found  growing  along  the  rivers  or  in  those  wooded 
areas  which  exist  in  nearly  all  the  prairie  states. 
There  are  many  species  of  oaks,  several  species  of 
maples,  black  walnuts,  hickories,  ash  trees,  butter- 
nuts, lindens,  elms,  wild  cherries,  buckeyes  and 
hackberries.  With  these  trees  are  scattering  haw- 
thorns, which  appear  to  have  strayed  from  the  main 
group.  Thickets  of  prickly  ash  appear  here  and 
there  and  also  scattering  areas  of  prairie,  meadow 
and  Carolina  roses.  Many  native  and  some  intro- 
duced flowers  persist  in  growing  along  the  roadside. 

The  planting  along  the  highway  is  sometimes  re- 
inforced by  wood-lots  on  either  side  similar  to  the 
one  already  mentioned.  The  trees  standing  between 
the  path  and  the  roadway,  that  is,  occupying  a  strip 
lying  between  six  and  eighteen  feet  from  the  fence, 
will  more  than  repay  by  their  beauty,  shade  and 
protection  from  wind  any  harm  they  may  do  to  the 
crops  in  the  adjoining  fields.  These  trees  as  well  as 
the  lower  growth  will  furnish  places  for  birds'  nests, 
while  the  berries  and  other  fruits  will  serve  as  dessert 
for  the  birds,  whose  principal  meal  will  be  supplied 
by' the  insects  which  the  farmer  would  like  to  have 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  217 

destroyed.  Thus  this  road  continues,  extending 
out  from  some  town,  perhaps  in  central  Illinois, 
and  becomes  more  interesting  with  each  year's  added 
growth. 

To  be  sure,  there  are  long  stretches  where  the  crops 
come  to  the  fences  without  any  interference  whatever 
from  the  growth  in  the  highway,  having  a  ground- 
cover  along  the  sides  of  the  roadway  consisting  of 
the  lower  growth  that  has  been  mentioned  often, 
not  more  than  two  or  three  feet  high.  Where  the 
planted  wood  areas  occur,  the  street  planting  joins 
directly  on  to  that  of  the  forest,  giving  an  effect 
almost  equal  to  natural  woods  if  the  planter  has  been 
skilful  in  selecting  and  arranging  the  various  trees 
and  shrubs. 

CITY    STREETS 

If  one  enters  the  city  from  one  of  the  above  de- 
scribed country  roads,  one  will  be  fortunate  to  find 
a  condition  so  happily  described  by  the  late  Charles 
Mulford  Robinson  as  "the  country  flowing  into  the 
city."  By  this  expression  he  meant  the  growth  of 
trees,  bushes  and  grass  which  should  extend  along 
the  sides  of  all  city  or  village  streets  devoted  to 
homes.  There  are  also  some  factory  districts  where 
one  finds  not  only  street  planting,  but  park-like 


2i8  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

grounds  for  recreation  between  the  factory  and  the 
street.  The  appearance  of  a  city  would  indeed 
be  greatly  improved  if  there  could  be  less  crowding 
of  apartment  houses  and  some  more  or  less  public 
buildings  upon  the  front  property  lines.  Often  it 
would  be  of  great  advantage  to  the  appearance  of 
a  street  if  the  fence  protecting  home  grounds  could 
be  set  back  so  that  shrubs  could  be  planted  in  front 
of  it  without  encroaching  on  the  sidewalk.  This 
arrangement  could  often  be  adopted  without  any 
disadvantage  to  the  home  grounds.  The  fence 
might  even  be  of  inexpensive  wire  entirely  hidden  by 
the  shrubs  on  either  side,  serving  as  a  protection 
both  to  the  grounds  and  to  the  shrubs  because  it 
would  prevent  passing  through. 

The  argument  in  favor  of  grouping  applies  just 
as  well  in  the  city  as  in  the  country.  If  the  space 
for  planting  is  wide  enough,  varied  groups  may  be 
introduced.  If  the  space  between  the  curb  and  the 
sidewalk  is  narrow,  trees  might  be  planted  in  rows, 
but  it  is  not  essential  that  the  spacing  in  this  case 
should  be  uniform.  A  wide  space  may  be  left  to 
provide  a  view  from  a  house  or  from  the  street  across 
attractive  grounds,  and  where  there  is  no  view  and 
no  objection  to  continued  shade,  the  trees  may  be 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  219 

relatively  closer  together.  Sometimes  a  space  is 
left  in  the  middle  of  a  street  for  planting  and  a  road- 
way constructed  on  either  side.  There  are  some  ad- 
vantages and  some  disadvantages  in  this  arrange- 
ment. The  chief  advantage  is  the  ample  room  given 
for  the  spread  of  tree  branches  and  for  having  effec- 
tive groupings  of  shrubs.  The  disadvantages  are 
the  larger  expense  both  for  construction  and  main- 
tenance and  the  narrowing  effect  in  the  appearance 
of  the  street.  For  instance,  if  the  street  is  narrow 
with  a  parkway  in  the  center,  the  road-bed  on  either 
side  should  be  not  less  than  sixteen  feet  in  width, 
making  a  total  width  of  pavement  for  the  street  of 
thirty-two  feet,  while  if  the  road-bed  were  in  the 
center,  twenty-four  feet  would  have  as  much  ca- 
pacity for  traffic  as  the  thirty-two  feet  in  two  roads. 
The  appearance  of  the  roadway  twenty-four  feet 
wide  in  the  center  with  ample  parkways  on  either 
side  would  be  more  beautiful  and  give  a  more  dignified 
effect  than  two  narrow  roadways  with  the  street 
space  divided  into  two  lanes  by  the  planting  in  the 
center.  With  a  broad  parklike  street,  having  a 
width  of  one  or  two  hundred  feet,  the  two  roadways 
would  be  appropriate,  and,  with  a  still  wider  street, 
even  three  roads  would  be  advisable,  the  center  one 


220  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

being  for  pleasure  driving  and  the  side  roads  for 
traffic.  ! 

In  any  study  of  street  arrangement  for  roads, 
planting  and  sidewalks,  the  aim  should  be  to  preserve 
the  best  effect  of  space.  If  possible,  the  road  should 
be  given  the  appearance  of  having  breadth  and  free- 
dom. At  the  corners,  the  radius  of  curvature  of  the 
edge  of  the  pavement  should  be  at  least  twenty  feet. 
Sometimes  this  may  cause  the  sidewalk  to  meet  the 
pavement  on  a  curved  slanting  line,  but  there  is  no 
objection  to  this  if  the  crossing  is  on  a  level  with  the 
sidewalk  as  it  should  be  with  the  surface  water  re- 
moved by  catch  basins  placed  along  the  block  in- 
stead of  at  the  street  intersection. 

When  a  city  is  on  a  hill  with  views  out  into  the 
country,  or  when  it  borders  a  lake  or  river,  care  should 
be  taken  not  to  obstruct  street  ends  (Fig.  50).  The 
city  plan  should  always  allow  the  greatest  possible 
freedom  for  views  outside  of  the  city  itself.  There 
will,  however,  be  many  advantages  in  having  angular 
and  curved  streets  within  the  city  boundaries  as  these 
will  display  the  architecture  or  planting  to  better 
advantage  than  long  straight  streets,  and  they  may 
fit  the  topography,  reduce  cost  of  construction, 
and  shorten  distances.  With  such  planning,  there 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES 


221 


will  be  effective  positions 
for  prominent  buildings, 
such  as  churches,  es- 
pecially churches  with 
steeples,  library  build- 
ings, courthouses,  hotels, 
schools  and  theaters,  but 
if  a  street  commands  a 
beautiful  view  of  a  val- 
ley, a  distant  hill,  a  lake 
or  a  river,  a  school  build- 
ing or  any  other  struc- 
ture should  not  on  any 
account  be  placed  where 
it  will  cut  off  this  view. 
Frequently  a  most  ex- 
asperating bill-board  is 
put  in  just  such  a  loca- 
tion. 

The  discussion  of  the 
proper  width  of  streets, 
the  kind  of  pavement  to 
use,  and  many  other 
questions  connected  with 
construction  and  main- 


v.l 

I 


222  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

tenance  is  left  to  city  planners  and  engineers,  the 
special  domain  of  the  landscape-gardener  or  land- 
scape-designer being  to  protect  the  appearance  of 
the  great  out-of-doors.  It  is  his  mission  to  plan 
the  most  effective  arrangement  of  trees  and  other 
growth,  to  protect  views,  hide  unsightly  objects, 
preserve  sunshine  and  everything  that  makes  for 
beauty. 

In  cities  one  great  obstacle  to  the  development 
of  beautiful  streets  which  does  not  prevail  in  the 
country  is  smoke.  Trees  make  a  city  beautiful. 
Even  if  the  architecture  is  ugly,  as  it  too  often  is, 
large  healthy  trees  would  redeem  the  city.  But 
smoke  kills  the  trees,  and  although  attractive  streets 
and  buildings  are  planned,  it  will  be  impossible  to 
have  really  beautiful  cities  as  long  as  the  atmos- 
phere is  polluted  with  smoke.  There  is  a  partial 
remedy  in  smoke-preventive  devices  and  in  care  in 
feeding  coal  to  furnaces,  but  probably  the  most  effec- 
tive prevention  of  smoke  in  cities  will  come  with 
the  development  of  electricity  at  the  coal  mines  and 
the  carrying  of  heat,  light  and  power  by  means  of 
wires  instead  of  on  freight  trains,  trucks,  wheel- 
barrows, and  shovels. 


PUBLIC  THOROUGHFARES  223 

4 

BILL-BOARDS 

The  planting  out  of  ugly  features  has  been  recom- 
mended, but  some  are  so  big  that  they  cannot  be 
obliterated,  especially  in  the  limited  space  available 
for  that  purpose.  These  are  the  bill-boards  which 
have  increased  alarmingly  in  spite  of  legislation  and 
the  efforts  of  various  public-spirited  bodies  to 
suppress  them.  Anything  which  offends  the  nose 
or  the  ear  is  at  once  called  a  nuisance,  but  many 
persons  have  not  yet  learned  that  things  which  offend 
the  eye  are  also  nuisances.  A  big  glaring  sign  insists 
on  passers-by  spending  their  money  for  a  certain 
brand  of  cigar.  If  a  man  stood  on  the  curb  calling 
the  same  words  in  a  loud  voice,  he  would  at  once 
be  arrested.  The  same  sentiment  ought  to  exist 
with  regard  to  bill-boards,  that  take  advantage  of 
streets  and  parkways  which  have  been  built  at  great 
expense  for  pleasant  drives  and  walks.  These  in- 
solent boards,  often  two  stories  in  height,  face  many 
roadways  and  public  parks,  and  one  cannot  approach 
any  large  city  without  having  the  feeling  for  beauti- 
ful landscape  continually  offended. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  GROUNDS  OF  RAILWAY  STATIONS  AND 
RIGHTS  OF  WAY 

WHETHER  the  grounds  about  a  railway  station 
should  be  improved  by  the  company  or  the  com- 
munity may  be  open  to  question,  but  there  is  no 
doubt  about  the  wisdom  of  making  these  areas  at- 
tractive. They  form  the  main  entrance  to  a  city  or 
village.  Strangers  are  likely  to  judge  a  town  by  its 
appearance  as  seen  from  trains,  or  from  the  first 
impression  given  by  the  surroundings  of  a  station. 
The  effect  of  these  surroundings  on  one  who  is  not 
a  stranger  and  who  sees  them  continually  is  im- 
portant. Their  appearance  should  make  him  proud 
of  his  city. 

If  the  approach  to  a  city  from  a  station  is  satis- 
factory, there  must  be  ample  room  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  all  vehicles  and  for  a  certain  amount  of 
embellishment  with  trees,  shrubs,  vines,  flowers  or 
lawn.  There  will  usually  be  a  combination  of  all 

of  these  in  grounds  that  are  ideal. 

224 


GROUNDS  OF  RAILWAY  STATIONS       225 

Some  railways  have  already  made  a  good  start 
in  the  right  direction.  Among  these  are  the  Bos- 
ton and  Albany  Railway  at  its  stations  near  Bos- 
ton, the  Pennsylvania  Lines  at  many  of  their  sub- 
urban stations,  the  Michigan  Central  at  a  few  of 
its  stations,  and  some  others.  Sometimes  a  rail- 
way has  made  an  attempt  to  have  beautiful  station 
grounds  without  securing  a  satisfactory  result. 
Perhaps  a  circular  bed  of  flowers  has  been  planted 
in  the  middle  of  a  lawn  near  the  platform,  while 
back  of  this  there  are  ugly  sheds,  buildings  or  ob- 
trusive bill-boards.  The  effect  from  the  station 
should  take  into  account  all  the  surroundings,  in- 
cluding the  buildings,  the  streets,  and  the  planting. 
If  the  buildings  are  ugly,  they  might  be  improved 
by  paint,  or  by  planting  trees  so  as  at  least  par- 
tially to  hide  them,  or  they  might  be  torn  down 
and  the  ground  they  occupied  included  with  the 
station  property  so  as  to  make  the  whole  effect 
attractive  and  dignified.  A  careful  study  of  the 
grounds,  with  plans  made  by  some  skilful  designer, 
should  not  only  lead  to  a  satisfactory  welcome, 
but  to  real  economy  in  maintenance  and  to  in- 
creased valuation  in  adjoining  property. 

In  designing  station  grounds,  the  first  essential 


226  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

is  to  plan  for  convenience,  so  that  persons  coming 
to  the  station,  whether  in  vehicles  or  on  foot,  will 
reach  it  in  an  easy  natural  way.  There  should  be 
ample  room  to  unload  passengers  along  the  plat- 
form, or  to  receive  them  as  they  come  from  trains. 
If  there  is  any  angle  about  the  station  building  not 
used,  it  can  be  occupied  with  vines,  bushes,  or  per- 
haps a  tree.  If  a  city  street  adjoins  the  grounds 
of  the  station,  perhaps  the  farther  side  can 
be  planted  rather  thickly,  and  the  near  side  kept 
relatively  open,  the  resulting  space  being  broad- 
ened by  the  combination  and  giving  a  dignified 
effect.  If  the  station  grounds  adjoin  private  prop- 
erty, any  unsightly  buildings  or  fences  thereon 
should  be  planted  out  (Fig.  51).  A  thick  plantation 
of  shrubs  such  as  lilacs,  syringa  bushes,  viburnums 
or  thickly  branched  trees,  like  hawthorns,  would 
be  suitable  for  this  purpose,  and  such  growth  would 
make  a  desirable  background  for  flowers.  Often, 
in  planting  flowers,  it  would  be  wise  to  select  per- 
ennials, since  the  cost  of  their  maintenance  would 
be  small  and  also  they  would  be  effective  during  a 
greater  part  of  the  year.  Goldenrods,  for  example, 
are  often  attractive  even  when  dead  and  brown. 
Their  graceful  shapes,  especially  when  partly  cov- 


GROUNDS   OF   RAILWAY   STATIONS       227 


a 


FIG.  51.  —  THE  RAILROAD  LANDSCAPE.     Plan  for  small  suburban  station 

grounds. 


228  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

ered  with  snow,  would  be  tempting  to  any  pho- 
tographer. Many  other  perennial  plants  are  at- 
tractive even  when  their  stems  are  dead,  and  the 
seeds  which  they  produce  often  furnish  food  for 
birds  in  the  winter.  Evergreens  would  be  suitable 
for  planting  if  the  atmosphere  were  free  from  smoke. 
Such  would  be  the  case  about  the  stations  along 
electric  lines  if  the  towns  where  these  stations  are 
located  produced  no  smoke.  Eventually,  when 
all  lines  become  electrified,  one  may  hope  for  ideal 
conditions. 

Sometimes  stations  adjoin  small  parks  or  are 
near  river  banks  or  opposite  lakes.  Such  loca- 
tions are  especially  fortunate,  and  advantage  should 
be  taken  of  the  opportunity  to  secure  interesting 
views  of  natural  scenery  as  seen  from  the  station  or 
from  cars. 

Railway  employees,  ticket  agents,  freight  agents, 
train  hands  and  others  should  be  taught  to  see  such 
beauty  as  exists  about  the  railway  stations  and  along 
the  rights  of  way.  This  will  add  pleasure  to  their 
lives  and  lead  to  greater  contentment.  An  em- 
ployee should  regard  the  property  of  his  com- 
pany as  partly  his  own.  Its  appearance  is  certainly 
a  matter  of  concern  to  him,  and  it  is  fortunate  if 


GROUNDS  OF   RAILWAY   STATIONS       229 

he  can  obtain  pleasure  from  looking  at  it  during 
his  daily  work  and  have  a  feeling  of  pride  when  he 
mentions  it  to  one  of  his  friends. 

The  railway  right  of  way,  usually  one  hundred 
feet  or  more  in  width,  offers  a  great  opportunity 
for  making  the  country  beautiful.  The  entire  right 
of  way  should  always  be  utilized.  The  central 
part  of  it  will  be  needed  for  road-beds,  bridges, 
and  tracks.  Certain  areas  along  the  sides  of  the 
tracks  will  sometimes  be  used  by  employees  for 
gardens.  Such  use  should  be  encouraged,  but  a 
vast  area  of  unoccupied  land  still  remains  which 
should  grow  something  attractive  to  look  at.  This 
does  not  mean  that  railway  companies  should  plant 
all  this  area.  Nature  will  generally  take  care  of  the 
planting,  but  railway  companies  should  keep  their 
men  with  scythes  away  from  it.  A  few  examples 
will  call  to  mind  successful  efforts  on  nature's  part. 
There  are  places  in  northern  Wisconsin  where 
the  ground  along  the  side  of  the  railways  is  covered 
in  spring  with  the  white  flowers  of  bunchberry,  and, 
in  autumn,  with  the  beautiful  red  berries  of  this 
charming  little  dogwood.  Similar  areas  are  covered 
with  the  pink  and  white  blossoms  of  shooting-star. 
Along  various  lines  in  Michigan  and  other  north- 


230  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

ern  states,  in  marshy  places  far  below  the  tracks, 
the  ground  will  be  covered  very  early  in  the  season 
with  the  yellow  flowers  of  marsh  marigold,  and  later 
with  the  leaves  and  flowers  of  wild  iris.  Perhaps 
a  few  of  our  native  lilies  will  show  their  heads  in 
midsummer.  Along  certain  lines  near  the  sand 
dunes  of  Indiana,  the  land  is  sometimes  covered 
with  the  white,  blue,  and  purple  flowers  of  lupine. 
Wild  roses,  ironweed,  wild  asters,  goldenrod,  black- 
eyed  Susans,  sunflowers,  dewberries,  and  hundreds 
of  other  attractive  plants  will  decorate  the  land  seen 
from  the  window  of  a  railway  coach  if  they  are 
only  given  an  opportunity.  The  railway  right  of 
way  might  indeed  become  a  great  botanic  garden 
where  plants  take  care  of  themselves  and  select  the 
situations  best  adapted  to  their  growth.  Often 
they  serve  this  purpose  at  the  present  time,  but 
they  might  do  so  to  a  greater  extent  if  the  matter 
were  given  a  little  thoughtful  consideration. 

To  be  sure,  one  must  consider  the  fact  that  sparks 
will  fly  from  locomotives  and  will  sometimes  start 
fires.  Much,  however,  can  be  done  or  left  undone 
to  encourage  the  wild  garden  or  botanic  garden  that 
has  been  mentioned  without  increasing  the  fire 
risk.  The  wild  gardens  should  exist  along  all  rights 


GROUNDS  OF   RAILWAY  STATIONS      231 

of  way  where  the  space  is  not  needed  for  side-tracks 
or  other  purposes.  When  all  railway  trains  run  by 
electric  power,  the  danger  from  fire  will  be  neg- 
ligible and  then  the  list  of  allowable  plants  will 
include  many  shrubs  and  small  trees.  Such  some- 
times grow  along  the  lines  of  electric  roads  at  the 
present  time  and  produce  an  effect  that  is  charming 
and  gives  pleasure  to  travelers. 

When  nature,  with  man's  assistance,  or,  in  cer- 
tain cases,  with  his  non-interference,  can  decorate 
the  banks  of  all  streams,  the  borders  of  all  high- 
ways, and  all  vacant  land  included  in  railway  rights 
of  way,  the  country  will  become  so  beautiful  that 
people  from  other  lands  will  wish  to  see  it  and  its 
own  citizens  will  derive  pleasure  each  day  from  look- 
ing at  it  and  from  that  feeling  of  contentment  that 
comes  with  the  ownership  of  beautiful  objects  and 
with  seeing  things  well  done. 

To  bring  about  some  of  the  results  suggested,  it 
is  necessary  that  some  of  the  railway  officials  should 
be  imbued  with  a  desire  to  have  these  results  and 
with  that  vision  which  is  the  first  requisite  of  any 
worthy  undertaking. 


CHAPTER  XIII  t 
PARKS,  FOREST  PRESERVES,  CITY  SQUARES 

As  in  attempting  any  project,  the  one  who  es- 
says to  design  a  park  should  first  have  the  main 
purpose  it  is  to  serve  clearly  in  mind.  There  are 
many  opinions  as  to  what  this  purpose  is.  The 
man  who  is  fond  of  boating  thinks  the  park  is  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  him  an  opportunity  to  take 
his  favorite  exercise.  He  wishes  the  golf  course 
excavated  to  enlarge  the  yacht  harbor.  The  golfer, 
on  the  other  hand,  desires  the  harbor  filled  up  to 
enlarge  his  golf  course.  The  equestrian  thinks 
the  park  is  a  place  for  bridle  paths,  the  horseman 
for  a  race  course,  the  gardener  for  flowers,  the  pub- 
lic-spirited man,  at  others'  expense,  a  place  for  a 
statue  of  his  friend  or  a  public  building  in  which 
he  is  interested.  The  advertiser  thinks  the  parks 
and  the  boulevards  are  the  most  appropriate  sites 
for  his  bill-boards.  A  gardener  argued  that  his 

"Gates  Ajar,"  sundial,  elephant,' and  roll  of  carpet 

232 


PARKS  233 

made  out  of  alternantheras,  echeverias,  and  other 
bedding  plants  were  the  most  interesting  and  valu- 
able features  of  a  park  because  the  most  persons 
came  to  see  them.  Frederick  Law  Olmsted,  the 
greatest  authority  on  parks  whom  the  United 
States  has  produced,  made  the  very  apt  reply, 
"more  people  go  to  a  circus  than  to  an  art  gallery." 
The  number  of  persons  who  think  that  a  park  should 
contribute  to  their  special  hobbies  is  most  exasper- 
ating. 

Dwellers  in  cities  grow  tired  and  large  numbers 
to  recuperate  seek  the  country,  the  woods,  the 
ocean,  lakes,  rivers,  mountains,  in  short,  nature. 
There  are  many,  however,  who  cannot  afford  either 
the  time  or  the  money  to  go  to  the  country  and  so 
the  country  should  be  brought  to  them.  This 
means  that  the  parks,  which  every  large  city  should 
have,  must  partake  as  far  as  possible  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  country.  Sometimes  one  wishes  to 
get  away  from  people  and  have  only  trees,  bushes, 
and  birds  for  companions.  A  park  should  give 
this  opportunity  for  quietness  and  rest.  Again, 
many  persons  will  have  a  desire  to  leave  brick  walls, 
paved  streets,  and  the  noises  of  a  city  and  enjoy 
natural  scenery  just  as  they  might  wish  to  look 


234  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

at  pictures  in  an  art  gallery.  A  park  should  fur- 
nish such  scenery  and  be  in  restful  contrast  to  busy 
streets. 

A  few  features  that  exist  or  have  existed  near 
cities  might  here  be  noted.  In  the  outskirts  of 
one  city  is  a  stream  which  has  worn  its  way  deep 
into  a  bed  of  limestone  rock.  At  the  upper  edge 
of  the  often  overhanging  rock,  thirty  or  forty  feet 
above  the  bed  of  the  stream,  the  ground  slopes 
back  and  is  covered  with  trees.  This  slope  is  very 
steep  and  could  not  be  used  for  crops  or  buildings. 
The  trees  and  vines  spreading  out  over  the  irreg- 
ular rocky  cliff  made  with  the  stream  below  a 
beautiful  picture.  Many  admired  this  picture 'and 
wished  that  the  stream,  the  rocks  and  the  trees 
might  belong  to  the  city  and  be  included  in  a  park 
so  that  they  could  be  preserved  for  all  time,  but 
the  owner  of  the  land  thought  the  trees  had  value 
as  wood  and  cut  them  down. 

A  city  is  located  in  a  valley  a  mile  or  two  in  width, 
this  valley  being  bounded  by  high  bluffs  or  hills. 
These  hills  were  originally  wooded.  A  portion  of 
one  of  the  hills  was  purchased  by  a  public-spirited 
citizen  and  given  to  the  city  for  a  park.  In  other 
parts  the  bluffs  have  been  scarred  by  rectangular 


PARKS  235 

streets,  necessitating  enormous  cuts,  the  destruc- 
tion of  all  the  trees  and,  for  a  long  series  of  years,  a 
barren,  forlorn  appearance. 

The  destruction  of  streams  which  were  once 
attractive  and  which  might  have  been  made  the 
most  interesting  features  of  parkways  and  parks 
has  already  been  referred  to. 

Innumerable  other  instances  might  be  given  of 
the  needless  destruction  of  natural  scenery,  which 
is  always  to  be  regretted,  and  especially  so  when  this 
scenery  is  within  the  boundaries  of  or  near  a  large 
city. 

From  the  facts  mentioned  above  and  from  others 
that  will  come  to  the  mind  of  any  intelligent, 
thoughtful  person,  it  will  probably  be  conceded 
that  the  main  purpose  of  a  park  is  to  preserve,  re- 
store, develop,  and  make  accessible  natural  scen- 
ery. In  some  ways  a  park  may  be  an  improvement 
on  nature,  since,  by  skilful  treatment,  it  may  be 
made  more  picturesque  or  more  artistic  than  if 
nature  had  been  left  untouched.  A  park  is  not 
primarily  a  place  for  play,  but  rather  to  feed  one's 
soul.  Its  chief  purpose  may  be  illustrated  by  the 
following  incident.  A  man  who  had  lived  to  middle 
age  in  an  inland  town  visited  a  city  with  parks 


236  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

located  on  the  shores  of  a  large  body  of  water.  He 
had  never  seen  water  extending  beyond  the  range 
of  vision.  On  going  out  to  one  of  the  parks  and 
walking  along  the  shore,  he  was  filled  with  awe  as 
he  sat  for  a  long  time  watching  the  big  waves  roll 
in.  He  was  charmed  by  what  he  saw  and  greatly 
impressed  by  the  power  of  the  waves  and  the  bound- 
less expanse.  Such  an  experience  is  not  to  be  meas- 
ured by  dollars.  It  is  priceless.  A  somewhat 
similar  feeling  may  be  experienced  by  one  who  visits 
a  stretch  of  woods  of  apparently  unlimited  extent, 
or  by  one  who  looks  over  a  park  scene  contain- 
ing a  valley  in  the  foreground,  with  hills  or  moun- 
tains miles  away  far  beyond  the  park  boundaries. 
Remembering  that  a  park  is  a  place  to  show 
natural  scenery,  it  will  be  granted  that  this  scenery 
will  be  observed  from  different  points  of  view.  One 
will  wish  to  stop  at  certain  places  where  the  views 
are  especially  good,  and  there  seats  should  be  pro- 
vided. In  going  about,  one  will  either  walk  upon 
paths  or  lawns,  or  ride  in  wheeled  vehicles  upon 
drives,  or  on  horseback  upon  bridle  paths,  or  in  boats 
upon  lakes  or  streams.  Where  one  goes  in  boats 
in  summer  one  may  skate  in  winter,  and  also  coast 
if  there  are  hills.  The  walks  and  drives  are  pri- 


PARKS  237 

marily  for  convenience,  for  use.  The  lawns  and 
water  are  primarily  for  beauty,  but,  incidentally, 
the  water  may  be  used  for  boating  or  skating,  or,  if 
conditions  are  favorable,  for  swimming,  and  the 
lawns  for  tennis,  croquet,  and  certain  other  games 
or  sports.  ' 

It  will  thus  be  realized  that  while  parks  exist, 
as  has  been  stated,  primarily  for  beauty,  they  give 
at  the  same  time  opportunities  for  delightful  exer- 
cise as  well  as  rest  and  enjoyment.  The  trees 
furnish  shade,  the  flowers  color  and  perfume,  the 
space  freedom  and  grateful  breezes.  The  lawns, 
the  trees,  and  shrubs  also  give  interesting  and 
pleasing  compositions  in  color  and  outline. 

PLANNING    A    PARK 

With  parks  fulfilling  the  purpose  which  has  just 
been  named,  it  will  be  seen  that  they  can  be  of 
almost  any  size  or  shape.  Their  location  will  be  in- 
fluenced, first,  by  existing  natural  objects.  Forests, 
hills,  especially  if  wooded,  river  banks,  the  shores 
of  lakes,  ravines,  springs,  streams,  and  rocky  ledges 
are  all  desirable  features,  and  a  city  where  such 
features  exist  is  indeed  fortunate  if  it  can  secure 
the  land  they  occupy  for  public  use  as  a  park. 


23  8  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

Accessibility  should  also  be  taken  into  account  in 
selecting  locations  for  parks,  but  the  character  of 
the  land  is  of  greater  importance,  as  one  can  easily 
travel  a  long  or  short  distance. 

Assuming  that  a  city,  with  the  assistance  of  a 
landscape-gardener,  has  secured  one  or  more  tracts 
of  land  and  placed  this  under  the  control  of  a  park 
commission,  the  next  step  would  be  the  making 
of  suitable  plans  for  park  development.  A  park 
might  be  planned  directly  on  the  ground  it  occupies 
by  a  skilful  landscape-gardener,  but,  usually,  it 
is  advisable  to  have  a  topographical  survey  and 
plat  made  so  that  one,  by  looking  at  this,  can  ob- 
tain a  comprehensive  idea  of  the  extent  and  lie  of 
the  land,  the  area  covered  by  forest  and  by  any 
existing  water,  marsh,  cultivated  ground  or  rock. 
Even  with  such  a  plat,  it  is  advisable  to  study  the 
land  itself,  noting  all  the  features  of  special  interest, 
the  views  outside  of  the  park  as  well  as  those  within 
its  limits,  and  the  favorable  locations  for  such 
walks  and  drives  as  may  be  needed.  The  direc- 
tions given  with  regard  to  walks  and  drives  in  home 
grounds  will  usually  be  applicable  in  a  public  park. 
The  designer  should  always  remember  that  drives 
and  walks  are  for  use,  that  they  should  go  where 


PARKS  239 

persons  wish  to  travel,  and  there  should  be  as  few  of 
them  as  possible  while  meeting  these  requirements. 
Advantage  will,  of  course,  be  taken  of  all  existing 
growth,  and  in  selecting  plants  for  such  additional 
growth  as  may  be  required,  those  varieties  which 
harmonize  with  existing  vegetation  and  are  suit- 
able for  the  soil  will  be  chosen.  The  designing 
of  the  park  will  consist  mostly  in  picturing  to  one's 
mind  attractive  compositions  that  will  fit  the  situa- 
tion and  take  advantage  of  existing  features. 

Since  parks  may  have  a  wide  range  of  sizes, 
shapes,  and  locations,  there  will  be  many  kinds  of 
problems  involved  and  at  least  as  many  solutions. 
In  general,  a  park  should  partake  of  the  character 
of  the  country  in  which  it  is  located.  The  de- 
signer should,  therefore,  study  not  only  the  site 
of  the  park  itself,  but  also  any  native  woods  that 
may  be  in  its  vicinity,  as  well  as  the  different  soils 
and  the  hills,  valleys,  rocks,  and  other  topograph- 
ical features  of  the  surrounding  region.  Such  a 
survey  will  often  disclose  valuable  planting  material 
that  may  be  available  for  the  park,  and  also  give 
useful  hints  as  to  what  the  character  of  the  plant- 
ing should  be.  Frequently  a  study  of  existing 
woods  will  call  attention  to  pleasing  combinations  of 


240  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

plants,  satisfactory  grades,  beautiful  sky-lines,  in- 
teresting boundaries  for  spaces,  all  of  which  will 
give  useful  hints  in  designing  the  park. 

If  the  tract  selected  for  a  park  is  covered  or 
partly  so  with  native  forest,  it  is  fortunate.  In 
this  case,  the  removal  of  some  growth  will  doubt- 
less be  needed.  Some  trees  and  bushes  must  be 
removed  to  open  up  views,  others  because  they  are 
partially  or  wholly  dead,  others  since  they  inter- 
fere with  the  proper  development  of  better  growth, 
and  still  others  just  to  make  a  beautiful  picture. 
This  work  cannot  be  done  or  planned  in  an  office. 
It  requires  the  skill  of  a  landscape-gardener  on  the 
ground,  and  the  selection  of  plants  to  be  taken  out 
should  never  be  left  to  the  wood  choppers.  A 
landscape-gardener  should  visit  the  land  before  it 
is  selected  for  a  park  if  possible,  but  if  he  cannot 
do  that  he  should  at  least  see  it  before  any  work 
is  done  on  it.  The  need  of  this  may  be  illustrated 
by  an  incident.  A  landscape-gardener  was  en- 
gaged to  design  a  park  and  on  going  out  to  see  the 
land  with  the  park  commissioners,  he  was  told 
that  he  had  come  just  in  time.  "You  can  have 
everything  your  own  way,"  they  said  to  him,  "we 
haven't  done  a  thing,"  then,  after  a  pause,  "ex- 


PARKS  241 

cepting  to  cut  out  the  underbrush."  The  "under- 
brush" was  found  to  have  been  most  beautiful 
masses  of  prairie  roses,  elderberries,  and  paw- 
paws. It  is  a  fact  that  what  is  often  called  "under- 
brush" is  sometimes  more  valuable  than  the  tree 
growth  from  a  designer's  point  of  view.  He  should 
pass  on  the  relative  value  of  different  natural  or 
existing  features  of  the  land  purchased.  It  is 
wise  to  make  use  of  existing  plants  or  other  material 
of  value  on  the  land  acquired  instead  of  destroying 
these  and  replacing  them  with  something  no  better 
or  perhaps  not  as  good. 

Sometimes  the  problems  connected  with  a  park 
may  relate  only  to  the  thinning  out  and  planting, 
as  in  those  cases  in  which  the  park  is  small  or  oc- 
cupies a  long  narrow  hillside,  perhaps  between  a 
highway  and  a  river,  or  a  steep  rocky  bluff  on  the 
opposite  shore  almost  inaccessible,  and  seen  only 
by  those  who  look  across  the  river  or  from  boats. 
In  such  parks,  if  any  artificial  features  are  called 
for,  they  will  include  only  paths,  seats,  and  per- 
haps a  shelter  or  lookout.  No  grass  will  be  needed, 
but  the  ground  cover  will  be  bushes,  vines,  her- 
baceous plants  and  leaves.  In  places  rocky  ledges 
and  boulders  may  be  exposed. 


242  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

With  parks  of  somewhat  larger  area  and  greater 
width  but  still  of  moderate  size,  lawns  and  walks 
will  be  introduced,  but  if  there  is  a  street  along  at 
least  one  side  of  the  park,  probably  no  drive  into 
or  through  it  will  be  required. 

With  still  larger  areas,  drives  will  be  introduced 
at  first  relatively  near  the  boundary  so  as  to  leave 
large,  uninterrupted,  open  spaces  centrally  lo- 
cated. These  drives  are  for  the  purpose  of  helping 
those  who  ride  to  see  the  scenery  of  the  park.  In 
places,  such  drives  will  pass  through  wooded  areas, 
then  emerge  into  the  open,  perhaps  on  an  elevation 
of  land  commanding  a  view  of  an  extensive  lawn 
or  lake  within  the  park,  or  a  range  of  hills  or  other 
object  of  interest  far  beyond  its  boundary.  Thus 
a  park  drive  will  be  given  variety,  making  it  inter- 
esting in  itself  as  well  as  placing  it  where  it  will 
command  views  of  the  scenery  for  which  the  park 
exists. 

GROUNDS  FOR  GAMES  OR  RECREATION 

As  parks  increase  still  further  in  size,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  as  to  the  propriety  of  allowing  such  sports 
as  tennis,  croquet,  and  the  less  strenuous  games  of 
ball  to  be  played  on  the  more  extensive  lawns,  but 


PARKS  243 

football,  excepting  as  played  by  small  boys  as  a  mere 
pastime,  belongs  in  an  athletic  field  or  playground, 
and  there  may  be  some  question  as  to  baseball. 

Park  commissioners  are  justified  in  hesitating 
to  allow  golf  to  be  played  in  a  park.  They  should 
first  consider  the  paramount  object  in  having  a  park, 
which  is  the  development  and  preservation  of  scen- 
ery that  is  nature-like  in  appearance  for  the  recrea- 
tion of  all  and  especially  those  persons  who  cannot 
go  to  the  country.  A  park  exists  for  everybody 
without  regard  to  the  amount  of  taxes  paid.  It 
resembles  the  schools  in  that  respect.  In  the  schools 
a  child  of  the  poorest  family  has  just  as  many 
privileges  as  one  of  wealthy  parents  and  it  is  right 
that  it  should  be  so.  The  stability  of  the  country 
and  the  security  in  which  we  live  depend  on  the 
training  and  education  of  all  the  children  to  insure 
their  becoming  good  citizens.  The  parks  also  help 
in  the  same  direction.  They  are  educational  and 
ought  to  be  more  instructive  than  they  usually 
are  by  having  intelligent  employees  who  could 
point  out  to  visitors  matters  that  are  of  educa- 
tional value.  It  would  be  ideal  to  have  every  em- 
ployee in  the  park  able  to  give  a  questioner  the  name 
of  any  tree,  shrub  or  flower.  Since  a  park  is  pro- 


244  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

vided  for  all  who  wish  to  visit  it,  the  commissioners 
should  not  allow  golf,  when,  by  doing  so,  they  de- 
prive many  persons  of  the  privilege  of  using  land 
which  is  needed  for  picnics,  for  rest,  or  for  indul- 
gence in  those  quiet  games  which  require  little  room 
and  which  are  accompanied  by  no  element  of  dan- 
ger such  as  being  hit  by  a  golf  ball.  On  the  other 
hand,  when  a  park  is  very  large  in  extent,  the  com- 
missioners would  be  justified  in  allowing  golf,  since 
by  so  doing  there  would  be  no  interference  with 
the  usual  recreation  which  the  park  affords.  A 
great  stretch  of  lawn,  perhaps  half  a  mile  or  more 
in  extent,  an  expanse  that  is  really  needed  for  the 
park  scenery,  may  be  even  more  interesting  if 
dotted  with  players. 

The  introduction  of  certain  sports  into  parks  has 
sometimes  been  justified  by  the  statement  that 
they  would  bring  more  persons  to  the  park.  Some 
have  even  attempted  to  introduce  race-tracks,  which 
are  entirely  out  of  harmony  with  the  spirit  that 
should  prevail  in  a  park.  For  those  who  really 
need  a  park,  it  is  an  advantage  not  to  have  it 
crowded.  Horse  racing,  polo  playing,  football,  cir- 
cuses, gatherings  to  listen  to  public  speaking,  and 
in  general  all  features  which  tend  to  collect  a  crowd 


PARKS  245 

having  little  or  no  interest  in  the  park  scenery 
should  be  rigidly  excluded. 

In  all  parks  of  comparatively  large  size  and  in 
those  boulevards  or  parkways  which  have  suffi- 
cient breadth,  bridle  paths  may  be  introduced  with 
propriety.  Horseback  riding  is  a  pleasant  and 
healthful  exercise  and  is  a  mode  of  travel  which 
gives  the  riders  an  advantageous  outlook.  They 
usually  go  at  a  leisurely  pace  which  gives  them  time 
to  see  the  combinations  of  open  space  and  wooded 
areas  to  advantage,  and  they  may  easily  stop  and 
inspect  any  view  or  object  which  interests  them. 
Moreover,  equestrians  with  their  horses  are  usually 
interesting  to  pedestrians  and  others  who  are  tak- 
ing their  recreation  in  different  ways.  Bridle- 
paths may  with  advantage  be  varied  in  width. 
Where  there  is  ample  space  the  width  may  allow 
several  to  ride  abreast,  and  again  where  the  room 
is  more  limited,  the  width  can  be  narrowed  so  that 
only  one  line  in  single  file  can  meet  a  similar  line 
going  in  the  opposite  direction.  A  path  may  even 
be  divided  into  two  or  more  parts  for  the  sake  of 
saving  trees  and  bushes  and  giving  an  interesting 
variety  to  the  bridle-path  itself. 

The  buildings  introduced  into  a  park  should  be 


246  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

strictly  limited  to  those  which  minister  to  the 
comfort  of  visitors.  Shelters,  an  office  building, 
comfort  stations,  bath-houses,  boat-houses,  res- 
taurants, and  band-stands  are  legitimate.  Some- 
times two  or  three  of  these  buildings  can,  with 
advantage,  be  united  in  one.  Such  structures, 
however,  should  be  subordinated  to  the  general 
landscape  effects.  They  should  not  be  more  con- 
spicuous than  a  group  of  trees.  They  should  be 
conveniently  located  to  serve  their  different  pur- 
poses, usually  near  a  walk  or  drive,  but  never  out 
in  the  open. 

When  a  park  is  favorably  situated,  that  is,  when 
it  has  an  abundant  supply  of  water,  it  is  well  to 
give  opportunity  for  swimming.  Swimming  is  one 
of  the  delights  of  the  country  wherever  there  is  a 
lake,  creek  or  river,  and  city  boys  and  girls  should 
be  given  the  same  opportunities  that  their  coun- 
try cousins  enjoy.  Boating  and  canoeing  should 
also  be  provided  for  when  the  conditions  are  at  all 
favorable.  These  are  not  only  healthful  exercises, 
but  they  give  one  an  opportunity  to  see  over- 
hanging trees  and  the  delightful  effects  that  should 
exist  along  the  banks  of  lakes  and  streams. 


PARKS  247 

OTHER    PURPOSES    OF    A    PARK 

There  are  so  many  pleasurable  ways  of  exercising 
and  playing  in  a  park  that  one  sometimes  forgets  the 
fundamental  reason  for  acquiring  land  and  going  to 
the  expense  of  planting,  making  roads,  walks,  and 
introducing  the  other  features  which  have  been 
mentioned.  There  are,  however,  many  incidental 
purposes  that  may  be  served  by  a  park  in  addition 
to  those  named  and  to  the  main  purpose  of  preserv- 
ing nature.  A  park  may  serve  as  an  arboretum 
with  collections  of  many  kinds  of  trees  and  shrubs. 
It  might  also  have  a  botanic  garden  or  a  planting 
of  some  special  kind,  such  as  a  Japanese,  medicinal, 
iris,  or  rose  garden.  Such  gardens,  however,  should 
be  placed  by  themselves  and  not  interfere  with  the 
general  scenery  of  the  park. 

A  zoological  garden  may  sometimes  be  introduced, 
but  in  this  case  it  would  be  well  to  have  the  zoo- 
logical part  the  main  feature,  the  garden  being  sub- 
ordinated to  the  zoo  instead  of  the  zoo  to  the  gar- 
den. A  zoological  garden  or  park  should,  if  pos- 
sible, be  large  enough  to  give  buffalo,  deer,  and  other 
grazing  animals  a  chance  to  get  at  least  a  portion 
of  their  food  in  the  natural  way.  Frequently  the 


248  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

room  is  so  limited  that  what  should  be  the  deer  or 
buffalo  pasture  becomes  merely  a  piece  of  bare, 
muddy  or  dusty  ground. 

There  are  organizations  of  various  kinds,  such 
as  gun  clubs,  natural  history  societies  and  others, 
that  will  seek  to  appropriate  parts  of  parks  to  their 
own  uses.  A  museum  may  with  advantage  be  near 
a  park,  but  should  not  be  intruded  within  the  park 
itself.  The  noise  of  a  gun  club  seems  quite  out  of 
harmony  with  the  legitimate  purposes  of  a  park, 
and  it  is  only  on  rare  occasions  that  a  suitable  site 
for  the  operations  of  such  a  club  can  be  found. 
If  there  should  be  a  point  of  land  extending  out  from 
a  park  into  a  large  body  of  water  to  a  place  far  re- 
moved from  dwellings  and  from  most  of  the  park 
visitors  and  protected  also  by  a  hill  or  embank- 
ment which  would  deaden  the  sound,  an  excep- 
tion might  be  made  to  the  general  rule  of  exclu- 
sion. 

THE    PARK    COMMISSION 

The  park  commission  should  be  small,  preferably 
made  up  of  not  over  five  members.  At  least  one 
large  city  in  the  United  States  has  a  park  com- 
mission of  only  three  members.  A  commission 
should  be  practically  continuous  by  having  only 


PARKS  249 

one  member  selected  each  year  to  serve  for  a 
definite  term  of  as  many  years  as  there  are  mem- 
bers of  the  commission.  A  man  chosen  for  a 
commissioner  should  have  some  leisure  in  order 
that  he  may  find  time  to  learn  the  duties  of 
his  office  and  the  requirements  of  a  park.  He 
should  have  no  interest  connected  with  the  park 
excepting  that  of  rendering  the  best  service  to  the 
public.  An  instance  of  what  should  not  happen 
may  be  given  here.  Along  the  boundary  of  a  park 
in  a  western  city  was  a  beautiful  group  of  ever- 
greens. Across  the  highway,  opposite  the  ever- 
greens, a  man  had  his  home.  He  wished  to  have 
the  trees  cut  down  so  that  he  could  look  into  the 
park.  The  park  board  was  opposed  to  cutting  the 
evergreen  boundary.  The  man  who  lived  opposite 
sought  and  eventually  obtained  a  position  as  mem- 
ber of  the  board,  with  the  avowed  object  of  cutting 
down  the  evergreens.  He  succeeded  in  accomplish- 
ing his  purpose,  but  to  his  own  regret,  for  he  found 
afterwards  he  had  destroyed  the  privacy  of  his  own 
home.  An  intelligent  unbiased  commissioner  would 
have  known  that  a  park  should  be  separated  as  far 
as  possible  from  the  built-up  portion  of  the  city. 
It  is  a  trite  saying  that  a  park  should  be  divorced 


250  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

from  politics,  but  unfortunately  there  are  many 
cases  where  this  lesson  has  not  been  learned.  A 
good  commissioner  serves  the  public  from  a  sense 
of  patriotism  and  not  on  account  of  patronage  or 
perquisites  connected  with  the  office.  He  should 
be  a  lover  of  nature,  a  man  of  taste,  and  a  sym- 
pathizer with  all  good  things  connected  with  the 
park. 

FOREST    PRESERVES 

In  many  respects  forest  preserves  near  cities  are 
like  parks.  They  are  similar  in  purpose  and  char- 
acter. Both  have  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers. 
Both  include  large  areas.  The  area  in  forest  re- 
serves should  be  much  larger  than  that  included 
in  the  city's  park  system.  A  forest  reserve  should 
be  procured  within  a  reasonable  distance  of  every 
city  and  should  be  preserved  as  natural  forest. 
One's  feeling  with  regard  to  such  a  native  forest 
should  be  similar  to  that  which  one  might  have  for 
the  preservation  of  Indian  mounds  or  any  other 
existing  feature  connected  with  Indian  life,  or  to  pre- 
serve undisturbed  any  historical  spot.  The  forests 
with  their  trees,  their  undergrowth  and  wild  flowers, 
are  the  oldest  things  in  existence  next  to  the  earth 
itself.  What  a  possession  that  city  will  have,  say, 


PARKS  251 

in  five  hundred  or  a  thousand  years,  which  can 
point  to  a  tract  covered  with  trees  and  other 
native  growth  and  say,  "that  is  a  tract  of  original 
forest;  it  has  been  preserved  as  the  Indians  left 


it.' 


A  forest  makes  an  appeal  because  it  is  beauti- 
ful and  has  something  of  mystery  about  it.  It  is 
nature's  own  creation,  but  if  it  is  to  be  preserved 
it  must  be  carefully  guarded.  The  water  level 
must  not  be  lowered.  The  underbrush  must  not 
be  cut  out.  The  covering  of  decaying  leaves  must 
not  be  disturbed.  The  wild  flowers  must  not  be 
picked.  Provisions  should  indeed  be  made  for 
visiting  a  forest,  but  when  one  enters  he  should  have 
a  feeling  like  that  of  the  religious  man  who  visits 
a  cathedral.  He  should  go  with  reverence  and  take 
away  with  him  not  wild  flowers  and  broken  branches 
of  trees  and  shrubs,  but  a  remembrance  of  the  beauty 
and  fragrance  of  the  forest,  an  appreciation  of  the 
birds  which  he  has  seen,  a  recollection  of  the  fresh 
pure  air,  the  sunshine,  or  perhaps  a  storm,  a  feel- 
ing that  he  has  had  communion  with  nature  and  has 
been  refreshed  and  rejuvenated. 

If,  in  acquiring  the  forest  land,  it  is  necessary  to 
take  certain  cleared  or  cultivated  areas,  these  might 


252  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

be  treated  in  a  way  to  give  the  greatest  satisfac- 
tion and  pleasure.  Open  areas  can  be  allowed  to 
become  forest,  or  they  may  be  used  for  gardens, 
arboretums,  playgrounds  or  kept  as  farms  to  pro- 
vide food  for  such  animals  as  are  used  in  the  pre- 
serve. The  forest  might  be  treated  in  such  a  way 
as  to  grow  valuable  timber.  It  is  reported  that 
some  cities  in  Europe  have  usually  derived  an  in- 
come from  their  forests  sufficient  to  pay  the  cities' 
expenses  so  that  it  has  been  unnecessary  to  levy 
taxes. 

The  question  of  roads  through  a  forest  would  be 
determined  by  local  considerations.  Roads  in  cer- 
tain places  might  serve  as  a  protection  against  fire. 
They  would  also  be  useful  in  hauling  out  logs  and 
brush  from  trees  that  have  been  cut,  but  a  multi- 
plicity of  roads  for  the  general  public  is  hardly  to 
be  desired.  The  main  thoroughfares  might  prefer- 
ably be  located  outside  of  the  forest  itself,  with  the 
exception  of  certain  cross  roads  when  a  forest  is 
quite  long  in  a  direction  at  right  angles  to  the  main 
lines  of  travel.  Usually  seedlings  of  trees  that  be- 
long in  the  vicinity  should  be  planted  in  a  forest ; 
for  example,  if  white  pines  had  once  existed  in  a 
forest  but  had  been  removed  for  the  lumber  they 


PARKS  253 

would  produce,  it  would  be  wise  to  introduce  this 
tree  again,  and  the  same  would  be  true  of  any 
species  which  had  formerly  grown  in  this  or  in 
neighboring  forests.  The  paths  should  be  merely 
wood  paths,  usually  covered  with  last  year's  leaves. 
They  should  lead  to  such  shelter  houses  as  may  be 
necessary  and  to  the  best  places  for  observation. 

CITY    SQUARES    AND    TRIANGLES 

A  city  is  fortunate  if,  in  laying  out  the  streets, 
little  areas  of  land  are  left  here  and  there  where 
trees  can  be  planted.  Often,  if  there  is  a  triangle, 
it  will  be  unnecessary  to  cross  it  with  a  walk.  In 
such  cases,  the  center  might  be  planted  with  trees, 
and  from  all  points  of  view  on  streets  approaching 
the  triangle,  these  trees  would  help  to  make  a 
picture.  City  squares  often  tempt  pedestrians  to 
make  diagonal  paths  and  it  is  usually  wise  to  pro- 
vide walks  substantially  along  lines  of  travel.  A 
big  circular  fountain  or  other  obstruction  in  the 
middle  of  one  of  these  walks  is  usually  an  unfortu- 
nate arrangement.  Fountains,  statues,  or  other 
ornamental  features  should  be  placed  at  one  side 
of  the  direct  lines  of  walks.  A  square  might  be 
graded  and  planted  so  that  a  slightly  curved  walk 


254  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

would  seem  natural  and  be  one  that  would  give  a 
good  appearance.  These  small  vacant  areas,  scat- 
tered through  a  city,  and  relieving  the  monotony 
of  its  street,  and  buildings,  are  seen  in  winter  fully 
as  much  as  in  summer.  They  should,  therefore,  be 
planted  to  look  well  at  all  times  of  the  year.  Large 
areas  in  bedding  plants  or  annuals  which  leave 
merely  patches  of  bare  ground  from  October  until 
May  are  manifestly  unsatisfactory  as  well  as  ex- 
pensive. If  there  were  no  smoke,  evergreens  could 
be  chosen  and  would  be  especially  effective  in 
winter.  When  conditions  are  unfavorable  to  ever- 
greens, small  trees  and  deciduous  shrubs  would  be 
suitable.  When  there  is  room,  no  deciduous 
growth  is  more  attractive  throughout  the  year 
than  that  of  hawthorns,  and  a  group  of  these  trees 
may  be  admirable.  They  may  be  used  advan- 
tageously in  combination  with  a  tree  of  large  size, 
like  an  elm  or  an  oak,  and  also  in  combination  with 
lower  growth  like  that  of  roses,  Indian  currants, 
and  aromatic  sumach.  Perennial  herbaceous 
plants  producing  attractive  foliage  or  flowers  would 
also  be  suitable  and  might  have  the  woody  growth 
for  a  background.  Early  spring  flowers,  crocuses, 
snowdrops,  scillas,  bloodroots,  hepaticas,  daffodils, 


PARKS  255 

and  many  others  would  make  these  areas,  which 
might  have  any  shape,  attractive  during  March, 
April,  and  May.  The  leaves  and  flowers  of  the 
trees  and  shrubs  that  might  be  selected  would  carry 
the  attention  throughout  the  summer  season,  and 
the  fruits  and  autumn  foliage  would  be  features  of 
special  interest  during  the  fall  months.  From 
November  until  March,  the  woody  branches  would 
be  interesting  from  their  manner  of  growth  and  also 
from  their  brown,  gray,  green,  red,  or  other  dis- 
tinctive coloring.  Some  hawthorns,  as  well  as  some 
viburnums,  barberries,  and  roses,  carry  fruits  well 
through  the  winter. 

It  might  be  possible  even  with  an  atmosphere 
more  or  less  polluted  to  have  some  bedding  plants, 
provided  they  could  be  so  placed  as  to  look  well 
with  the  hardy  growth  and  could  have  their  places 
taken  by  evergreens  as  soon  as  frost  arrives.  In- 
dividuals do  not  hesitate  to  spend  large  sums  for 
evergreen  window-boxes  and  other  evergreen  deco- 
ration for  winter,  and  cities  would  be  justified  in 
going  to  some  expense  for  the  evergreens  even  if 
they  were  to  last  but  a  comparatively  brief  period, 
the  pleasure  received  from  such  planting  being  fully 
equal  to  that  from  a  bed  of  geraniums  or  begonias. 


256  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  questions  to  be  answered  by  the  landscape- 
gardener  when  designing  these  so-called  city  squares 
are  the  same  that  must  be  met  in  regard  to  most 
of  his  other  work,  namely,  what  will  serve  the  con- 
venience of  the  persons  for  whom  the  design  is  made  ? 
What  will  give  the  most  pleasure  for  a  given  amount 
of  expenditure  ?  What  will  make  for  beauty  in  con- 
nection with  the  objects  surrounding  a  "square"  ? 

COUNTRY    PARKS 

City  parks  and  squares  have  until  recently  re- 
ceived more  consideration  from  the  public  than 
has  been  given  to  country  parks.  It  has  been 
argued  that  those  living  in  the  country  have  nature 
close  at  hand,  with  plenty  of  sunshine  and  fresh 
air,  and  so  do  not  need  parks.  Notwithstanding  this 
argument,  there  are  many  places  even  in  the  country 
which  should  be  preserved  for  the  use  of  the  public. 
Some  of  these  have  already  been  mentioned,  namely, 
the  borders  of  streams  and  lakes  and  steep  hillsides. 

Any  notable,  natural  feature  should  be  preserved. 
Often  an  individual  farmer  may  have  on  his  land 
a  spring,  a  wood-lot,  a  ravine,  a  great  bowlder,  an 
Indian  mound,  or  other  object  in  which  he  de- 
lights and  which  he  takes  pleasure  in  showing  to  his 


PARKS  257 

friends.  While  he  lives  this  is  sufficient,  but  when 
he  dies  the  land  may  be  owned  by  someone  who 
cares  nothing  for  the  features  named  and  they  may 
be  destroyed.  If  interesting  objects  or  localities 
belong  to  the  public,  the  chances  for  their  preserva- 
tion for  future  generations  will  be  better. 

TOWNSHIP    PARKS 

There  might  be  formed  in  every  township  a  so- 
ciety for  the  preservation  of  the  native  landscape. 
Such  a  society,  by  proper  legislation,  might  be  given 
a  legal  status  so  that  it  could  hold  the  title  to  such 
land  as  might  be  acquired  by  donation  or  other- 
wise. With  such  an  organization,  it  ought  to  be 
possible  to  have  interesting  township  parks,  that 
is,  wooded  areas,  the  valleys  of  streams,  lake  mar- 
gins, ravines,  or  hills,  level  areas  for  games,  swim- 
ming pools  or  other  interesting  features  found  within 
the  township  boundaries.  Such  parks  would  fur- 
nish delightful  places  for  picnics  or  other  outings, 
spots  which  formerly  existed  in  abundance  on  pri- 
vate farms,  but  which  are  being  destroyed  by  the 
growing  intensity  of  farming  and  the  increase  in 
population.  The  outings  which  one  takes  are  the 
things  that  count  in  life.  They  make  life  worth 


258  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

while,  and  suitable  provision  should  be  made  for 
them,  not  one  hundred  miles  or  five  hundred  miles 
away,  but  near  at  hand.  Often  there  are  delightful 
natural  areas  near  at  hand  which  persons  do  not 
see. 

A  society  for  the  preservation  of  native  land- 
scape, perhaps  with  the  assistance  of  a  landscape- 
gardener  or  some  amateur  nature  lover,  should 
point  out  and  secure  such  places  as  have  been 
named.  Ordinarily,  a  man  works  steadily  through- 
out the  year  with  the  exception  of  a  short  period 
when  he  has  his  "  vacation,"  and  then  he  spends  the 
money  he  has  saved  up  and  a  part  of  his  "vaca- 
tion" in  traveling  to  some  distant  "resort."  Per- 
haps it  would  be  possible  to  have  just  as  attractive 
"resorts"  near  at  hand  and  have  more  frequent 
vacations  with  all  of  the  time  spent  in  really  living. 
The  frequent  vacations  might  be  short,  Saturday 
afternoons  and  Sundays,  but  they  would  be  rest- 
ful and  enjoyable. 

COUNTY    PARKS 

There  should  be  a  friendly  adjustment  between 
townships  and  counties  in  the  matter  of  parks. 
Some  may  think  that  township  parks  will  answer 


PARKS  259 

all  purposes,  but  occasionally  there  may  be  some 
natural  feature,  a  wooded  ridge,  a  river,  a  lake  or 
a  forest,  extending  through  two  or  more  townships 
which  might  with  propriety  be  acquired  or  set  aside 
by  county  commissioners  or  by  a  board  of  super- 
visors as  a  county  reserve.  Such  parks  should  be 
planned  primarily  for  the  purpose  of  preserving 
attractive  natural  features  but  incidentally  certain 
parts  might  be  used  for  camping.  Tourists  who  live 
in  automobiles  might  find  these  parks  convenient 
places  for  stopping  over  night.  As  in  the  case  of 
township  parks,  they  would  furnish  places  for  pic- 
nics, to  which  excursions  might  be  made  by  parties 
from  the  city.  Certain  large  areas  might  be  car- 
ried on  as  county  forests  with  the  object  of  con- 
serving the  lumber  supply  and  making  a  profit  for 
the  county. 

The  establishment  of  county  parks  would  tend 
to  disseminate  among  all  the  inhabitants  the  idea 
of  having  public  parks.  This  object  would  be  dis- 
cussed at  the  meetings  of  county  officials  and  the 
ideas  presented  would  in  this  manner  reach  all  of 
the  township  officers.  The  establishment  of  town- 
ship and  county  parks  would  not  be  justified  unless 
they  were  used  and  approved  generally.  A  dis- 


260  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

cussion  of  such  parks  at  public  meetings  would  tend 
to  bring  about  a  general  knowledge  and  approval  of 
this  proposed  feature  of  public  life,  which  would 
add  to  the  joy  of  living. 

STATE    PARKS 

The  desirability  of  having  state  parks  may  be 
illustrated  by  considering  a  state  having  a  certain 
amount  of  frontage  on  a  large  body  of  water  like  the 
ocean.  The  interior  counties  would  have  no  such 
frontage,  but  the  dwellers  in  these  counties  would 
desire  to  visit  the  ocean.  A  state  park  would  give 
them  the  privilege  of  doing  so  without  trespassing 
on  private  property  or  paying  exorbitant  prices 
for  the  privilege  of  looking  at  the  sea.  Instead  of 
the  ocean,  states  might  have  other  natural  features 
that  should  be  preserved  for  the  benefit  of  all  its 
people.  Each  state,  for  example,  should  have  large 
areas  of  forest  to  be  used  for  the  combined  objects 
of  recreation  and  the  production  of  lumber. 

The  province  of  the  landscape-gardener  in  regard 
to  township,  county,  and  state  parks  would  be  to 
advise  in  regard  to  the  location,  the  areas  to  be  in- 
cluded, and  the  treatment  required.  He  should  be 
able  to  see  their  natural  beauty  and  point  this  out 


PARKS  261 

to  those  who  are  less  observant.  He  should  sug- 
gest changes  that  will  make  them  more  pictur- 
esque, more  useful  in  the  lines  named.  His  sug- 
gestions would  include  advice  with  regard  to  the 
location  of  roads  and  walks,  regarding  cutting 
certain  trees  or  areas  of  trees,  and  planting  for  the 
purpose  of  making  parks  more  beautiful  or  in- 
creasing the  variety  of  growth.  He  would  also 
advise  with  regard  to  the  treatment  of  water,  rocks, 
or  any  other  natural  features  of  interest,  and  sug- 
gest ways  in  which  parks  might  be  used  without 
injury  and  to  the  greatest  pleasure  of  all. 

NATIONAL    PARKS 

Most  interesting  books  have  been  written  about 
these  parks  and  the  government  has  issued  in- 
structive bulletins  regarding  them.  The  size  of 
this  book  does  not  permit  of  their  discussion  in  any 
detail  and  they  are  mentioned  here  only  for  the 
purpose  of  expressing  approval  of  them  and  also 
with  the  hope  that  such  parks  may  be  established 
in  the  older  portion  of  the  United  States  as  well 
as  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  coast  regions. 
The  idea  of  having  such  parks  was  a  grand  one 
and  the  country  is  most  fortunate  in  possessing  so 


262  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

many  large  areas  set  aside  for  public  recreation  and 
for  places  of  refuge  for  life  of  all  kinds.  Future 
national  parks  should  include  areas  of  sand  dunes 
with  frontage  on  the  Great  Lakes,  areas  of  forest 
distributed  through  parts  of  the  country  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  all  the  way  to  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  areas  in  the  northern  and  in  the  southern 
states.  Let  us  preserve  samples  of  all  the  wooded 
areas  and  all  the  natural  attractions  which  our 
children,  grandchildren,  and  all  the  generations  yet 
to  come  will  be  glad  to  see.  Do  not  let  any  portion 
of  the  country  through  lack  of  forests  degenerate 
to  the  conditions  of  certain  parts  of  Spain  and  other 
countries  that  have  been  denuded  of  woods. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

GOLF  GROUNDS 

THE  work  of  the  landscape-gardener  might  al- 
most be  described  by  the  definition  of  golf,  "some- 
thing to  make  walking  interesting."  On  this  ac- 
count the  actual  game  of  golf  need  not  be  especially 
interesting  to  the  landscape-gardener,  because  he 
really  does  not  require  the  exercise  to  keep  him 
well,  but  the  golf  grounds  with  their  broad  ex- 
panse of  open  green-covered  fields  and  their 
unusual  opportunities  for  producing  beautiful  land- 
scape effects  do  make  such  an  appeal.  Usually 
the  lines  of  the  fair  greens  leave  certain  unused 
areas,  often  triangular  pieces  of  ground  of  per- 
haps half  an  acre  or  more  in  extent.  Such  tri- 
angles offer  opportunities  for  effective  planting. 

Occasionally  one  or  more  large-growing  trees  may 
be  planted  near  the  tees  and  give  grateful  shade 
to  those  who  are  waiting  for  a  chance  to  play. 
Sometimes,  when  the  grounds  are  large,  they  may 

263 


264  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

include  a  stream  or  a  lake,  with  opportunities  here 
and  there  along  their  banks  in  stretches  between 
the  fair  greens  for  some  shrubs  or  vines.  The 
vicinity  of  the  club-house  requires  much  study  and 
planning  in  order  to  produce  the  best  landscape 
effect.  The  club-house  is  in  some  respects  like  a 
home,  and  the  approach  drive  should  be  developed 
along  the  same  lines  that  would  be  adopted  by  an 
individual.  Usually  the  verandas  of  a  club-house 
will  be  larger,  however,  than  those  of  a  dwelling, 
because  larger  numbers  will  wish  to  use  them.  They 
will  accommodate  perhaps  many  groups  at  one 
time.  The  landscape  effects  as  seen  by  these  groups 
will  be  studied  with  certain  purposes  in  mind.  The 
various  views  themselves  as  real  outdoor  pictures 
will  perhaps  be  the  first  consideration,  but  these 
views  should  be  influenced  by  the  desire  of  those 
sitting  on  the  veranda  to  watch  the  players  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  course  and  especially  the  ap- 
proach to  the  9th  and  i8th  holes.  The  passing 
of  an  island  of  trees,  however,  will  not  detract  from 
the  interest,  as  one  can  watch  the  players  in  ap- 
proaching the  island  and  a  little  later  as  they 
emerge ;  a  group  of  foliage  in  the  golf  grounds  an- 
swering the  same  purpose  as  an  island  in  a  lake. 


GOLF  GROUNDS  265 

Perhaps  the  place  for  the  largest  amount  of  plant- 
ing would  be  along  the  boundaries.  The  greatest 
value  of  the  proposed  landscape  development,  how- 
ever, will  not  be  realized  fully  unless  one  takes 
into  account  the  surrounding  land.  The  develop- 
ment of  a  successful  golf  course  causes  the  land 
along  its  borders  to  be  much  sought  after.  One 
can  realize  the  reason  for  this.  Most  men  in  build- 
ing homes  for  themselves,  if  the  matter  of  money 
did  not  enter  into  their  calculations,  would  have 
fine  large  places  with  ample  room,  the  idea  per- 
haps being  typified  most  nearly  by  a  large  Eng- 
lish estate.  If  a  man  can  secure  an  acre  or  two  next 
to  a  golf  course,  the  club  grounds  would  form  a  large 
part  of  his  estate  (Fig.  52).  His  front  yard  and 
broad  acres  would  be  mown  and  taken  care  of  with- 
out expense  to  him  save  in  his  annual  dues.  His 
domain  might,  therefore,  contain  a  hundred  acres  or 
even  more  while  he  would  be  required  to  pay  taxes 
on  only  one  or  two.  A  golf  club  should,  therefore, 
when  first  looking  for  grounds,  secure  if  possible 
all  of  the  land  surrounding  the  proposed  area  needed 
for  the  game,  thus  providing  for  future  homes  for 
members  or  others  who  will  appreciate  the  advan- 
tages offered  by  the  exceptional  locations.  The 


266 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


--*>.  v  ««ft      t  »  ".<-"*i*^*vi  >  M^'tf*-  -^ 

4 .       I        "?  i^^J  »  T-- 


GOLF  GROUNDS  267 

ownership  of  the  adjoining  land  will,  moreover, 
enable  the  club  to  control  the  surroundings  so  that 
their  future  development  will  not  detract  from  the 
beauty  of  the  grounds  themselves.  In  some  cases, 
the  sale  of  this  additional  land  for  homes  has  paid  the 
first  entire  cost  of  the  property.  There  should  not 
be  too  many  houses  or  too  much  evidence  of  them  as 
seen  from  the  club-house  or  the  points  along  the  course. 
With  careful  study  and  with  planning,  the  public 
ground  of  the  course  and  the  private  grounds  of  the 
surrounding  homes  can  be  made  to  affect  each  other 
in  such  a  way  as  to  add  to  the  comfort  and  the  en- 
joyment of  all :  to  the  golf  members  in  the  knowl- 
edge that  no  unsightly  building  will  be  erected 
beyond  its  limits  which  can  injure  the  appearance 
of  the  course,  and  to  those  living  in  the  surround- 
ing homes  by  having  the  planting  done  in  such  a 
way  as  to  insure  them  extensive  and  beautiful  views. 
The  selection  of  location  for  the  homes  just  men- 
tioned will  be  in  some  respects  like  that  of  house 
sites  about  an  attractive  lake.  In  either  case,  a 
house  can  be  so  placed  that  its  windows  will  ap- 
parently command  all  the  desirable  views  while  the 
house  itself,  framed  and  partly  screened  by  plant- 
ing, is  comparatively  inconspicuous. 


268  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  grounds  of  an  ideal  golf  course,  ideal  from 
the  landscape  point  of  view  as  well  as  from  the 
golfer's  standpoint,  should  include  not  only  a  good 
course  with  extra  holes  for  practice,  clock  golf,  tennis, 
and  perhaps  opportunities  for  other  outdoor  sports, 
but  it  should  also  contain  flower-gardens  to  fur- 
nish flowers  for  the  embellishment  of  the  club- 
house, and  perhaps  certain  vegetables.  With  a 
gardener  who  had  not  only  technical  ability  but 
who  was  honest  and  would  work  for  the  interest  of 
the  club,  a  large-sized  vegetable-garden  might  be 
warranted. 

Grounds  for  golf  clubs  have  sometimes  been 
purchased  at  farm  prices  and  in  such  cases  one  can 
easily  imagine  that  an  additional  area  for  a  farm, 
which  would  be  leased  to  some  one  who  would  supply 
good  poultry  and  dairy  products  and  perhaps  wood 
for  the  fire-place,  might  be  a  wise  investment.  With 
many  forms  of  land  development,  whether  for 
schools,  parks,  golf  grounds,  or  other  public  or 
semi-public  use,  one  naturally  reverts  to  home 
grounds  for  a  pattern  and  seeks  to  introduce  many 
of  the  features  which  would  make  a  home  attrac- 
tive. Among  such  features,  a  piece  of  woodland 
with  quantities  of  wild  flowers  would  be  most  de- 


GOLF  GROUNDS  269 

lightful.  A  low  meadow  or  bog-garden  full  of 
marsh  marigolds  and  bluebells  would  be  charm- 
ing and  in  the  planting  that  has  been  previously 
mentioned  one  would  look  for  all  those  effects  which 
can  be  found  in  various  parks  and  especially  along 
the  borders  of  natural  woods. 

A  new  game  has  been  described  under  the  name 
of  "  arrow  golf,"  which  ought  to  become  popular. 
Like  golf,  it  would  make  walking  interesting.  Its 
arrows,  decorated  with  colored  feathers,  would  be 
more  easily  found  than  golf  balls.  The  bunkers 
which  form  the  hazards  of  ordinary  golf  and  are 
sometimes  unsightly  would  be  unnecessary. 
There  would  be  greater  freedom  for  the  exercise  of 
skill  in  producing  beautiful  and  varied  landscape 
effects.  The  expense  of  maintenance  should  be 
comparatively  small. 

In  the  chapter  on  Parks,  some  doubt  was  ex- 
pressed as  to  the  propriety  of  park  commissioners 
allowing  portions  of  the  parks  under  their  charge 
to  be  used  as  golf  grounds  and  even  going  to  the 
expense  of  developing  and  maintaining  such 
grounds.  Certainly  such  permission  should  not 
be  given  where  the  land  required  is  needed  by  poor 
people,  by  great  numbers  of  children,  and  by  men 


270  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

and  women  who  could  not  even  afford  to  buy  clubs 
with  which  to  play. 

It  is  proper  to  raise  the  same  question  as  to 
whether  commissioners  having  charge  of  forest 
preserves  would  be  justified  in  taking  public  land 
for  golf.  If  it  is  proper  to  take  land  in  the  forest 
preserve  for  golf,  certainly  only  that  part  should  be 
taken  which  is  vacant,  that  is  naturally  without 
trees,  shrubs,  or  other  attractive  growth.  If  land 
in  forest  preserves  is  set  aside  for  golf,  should  it  be 
developed  and  maintained  at  public  expense  for 
the  benefit  of  the  comparatively  few  persons  who 
would  use  it  ?  This  question  need  not  be  discussed 
here,  but  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  there 
can  be  no  objection  to  golf  clubs  buying  land  at 
their  own  expense  adjacent  to  or  partly  surrounded 
by  tracts  of  forest  preserve.  A  juxtaposition  of 
this  kind  will  be  of  advantage  to  both  the  public 
who  own  the  forest  and  to  the  golf  club.  Either 
might  provide  swimming  pools,  places  for  coasting, 
skating,  and  playing  hockey.  Either  might  oc- 
casionally contain  a  polo  field,  provided  that  in  the 
case  of  the  forest  preserve  there  was  no  encroach- 
ment on  the  forest.  The  golf  club  and  the  forest 
preserve  might  combine  in  skating  facilities,  es- 


GOLF   GROUNDS  271 

pecially  if  there  was  a  lake  or  river  common  to 
both,  or  they  might  combine  in  bridle  paths  or  any 
other  features  where  they  would  not  interfere  with 
each  other.  There  might,  for  example,  be  a  path 
through  a  woodland  border  of  the  golf  grounds 
over  which  a  walking  club  could  route  its  Saturday 
afternoon  hike  without  harming  any  one. 

The  establishment  and  use  of  golf  grounds  should 
be  encouraged  by  everyone.  Anything  which  will 
take  persons  to  the  country  and  give  them  abun- 
dant exercise  should  be  encouraged.  Those  who 
cannot  afford  the  time  or  money  to  play  golf  should 
not  envy  those  who  can.  The  more  innocent, 
healthful  enjoyment  there  can  be  for  a  community 
as  a  whole,  the  better.  Each  individual  should 
feel  and  acknowledge  this  whether  he  himself 
can  or  cannot  partake  in  any  special  form  of  this 
enjoyment.  If  each  can  form  the  habit  of  rejoic- 
ing at  the  happiness  of  another,  it  will  add  to  his 
own  comfort  and  peace  of  mind. 

There  is  ample  land  for  the  production  of  food. 
The  number  of  cultivated  acres  found  in  the  older 
states  might  be  increased  and  each  acre  might 
produce  far  more  than  at  present.  Let  us  by  all 
means  keep  all  areas  for  parks,  forest  preserves, 


272  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

golf  grounds  and  all  vacant  spaces  that  will  con- 
tribute to  the  pleasure  and  happiness  generally. 
If  clubs  will  buy  and  develop  such  land  for  the  en- 
joyment of  a  portion  of  the  community,  if  they 
will  pay  taxes  on  it  and  maintain  it  without  its 
being  a  burden  on  the  public  at  large,  they  should 
be  encouraged  to  do  so. 


CHAPTER  XV 

SCHOOL  GROUNDS 

THE  school  is  the  second  home  of  children  and 
its  grounds  are  second  only  in  importance  to  those 
of  the  home  itself.  They  should  be  given  careful 
consideration,  and  ample  playground  should  by  all 
means  be  provided. 

IN    THE    COUNTRY       (Fig.   53) 

Of  all  school  grounds  none  is  primarily  of  greater 
importance  than  that  about  a  school  in  the  coun- 
try, and  yet  none  has  received  less  consideration 
or  made  less  advance  toward  ideal  development. 

A  story  is  told  of  a  certain  country  school.  The 
boys  of  this  school  made  a  practice  of  going  over 
the  fence  to  an  adjoining  pasture  for  the  purpose 
of  playing  ball.  The  farmer  who  owned  the  pas- 
ture complained  bitterly  to  the  school-board.  There 
was  more  or  less  anger  at  the  boys  on  the  part  of 

both   the  board   and  the  farmer.     Finally,   it  was 
T  273 


GGMNTJ2.Y  OCWO3L  YARD 

OCALt  OP  FtErT 


FIG.  53.  —  THE  SCHOOL  GROUNDS.     In  the  above  plan  the  drive  may  be  used 
as  a  walk  and  the  planting  shown  may  include  a  variety  of  trees  and  shrubs. 


SCHOOL  GROUNDS  275 

decided  that  all  would  visit  the  school  together. 
They  arrived  during  intermission  and  found  the 
boys  in  the  midst  of  a  game  on  the  forbidden 
ground.  The  members  of  the  board  became  quite 
interested  in  the  game.  At  last  one  bright  mem- 
ber asked  the  farmer  what  rent  he  would  charge 
for  an  acre  of  land.  He  replied,  naming  a  very 
moderate  sum  which  the  board  at  once  agreed  to 
pay.  The  fence  was  moved  to  the  other  side  of  the 
acre  and  all  were  happy.  This  incident  illustrates 
that  every  school  should  have  ample  space  for 
play. 

There  should  be  room  for  ball  for  the  girls  as 
well  as  for  the  boys,  for  pull-away  and  other  games, 
for  coasting  and  skating,  for  school-gardens  and  for 
trees  and  shrubs  that  will  make  the  school-house 
and  the  grounds  attractive  in  appearance.  It 
would  be  well  if  the  list  of  plants  included  many 
species  so  that  the  plantation  would  form  at  least 
a  local  arboretum.  In  selecting  the  site  for  a  school, 
all  desirable  features  should  be  remembered,  and 
advantage  taken  of  any  existing  hill  for  coasting 
if  there  is  one  near  the  proposed  site,  of  existing  tree 
growth,  or  any  feature  that  will  add  to  the  beauty 
of  the  ground  and  to  the  comfort  and  entertain- 


276  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

ment  of  the  pupils.  Nor  is  it  the  pupils  alone  that 
should  be  considered.  There  are  the  teachers  and 
parents.  A  school  in  the  country  is  a  neighbor- 
hood center.  Here,  from  time  to  time,  are  various 
gatherings,  usually  within  the  building,  but  if  the 
grounds  are  ample  and  picturesque,  they  will  form 
an  appropriate  place  for  picnics  and  outdoor  meet- 
ings of  various  kinds.  Here  might  be  exhibited 
the  products  of  the  school-gardens,  or  collections 
of  flowers,  vegetables  and  other  products  of  the 
farms  of  the  neighborhood.  The  school  and  its 
grounds  should  serve  to  draw  persons  together  and 
create  a  neighborhood  spirit  which  would  tend 
toward  improvement  in  every  way.  It  should 
lead  to  greater  general  intelligence,  better  crops 
and  more  appreciation  of  beauty. 

Naturally,  the  planting  about  the  ideal  school 
would  be  arranged  along  the  boundaries,  leaving 
large  central  open  spaces  for  play  and  for  air  and 
sunlight.  Touches  of  foliage  might  appear  here 
and  there  about  the  building,  perhaps  from  some 
vines  on  the  walls,  some  shrubs  each  side  of  the  en- 
trance steps,  or  in  a  reentrant  angle,  but  there 
should  be  nothing  to  shade  the  windows.  The  trees 
along  the  boundary  might  be  arranged  in  groups 


SCHOOL  GROUNDS  277 

with  spaces  left  to  preserve  views  or  let  in  breezes. 
Small  trees  and  shrubs  should  be  used  extensively, 
and  there  should  be  an  abundance  of  perennial 
flowers.  The  annuals  will  be  taken  care  of  in  the 
gardens  for  the  pupils.  An  area  of  five  to  ten  acres 
would  be  none  too  much  for  this  second  home  for 
children  who  usually  come  from  farms  of  two  thou- 
sand acres  or  more.  With  ten  acres,  a  charming 
park  might  be  made  including  within  its  boundaries 
a  school-house  and  all  the  features  named. 

Higher  institutions  of  learning,  including  col- 
leges and  universities,  often  take  great  pains  and 
spend  large  sums  in  acquiring  and  developing 
beautiful  grounds.  Such  grounds  have  a  great 
influence  on  the  lives  of  students.  That  the  love 
for  one's  alma  mater  is  often  due  quite  as  much  to 
the  charm  of  the  campus  as  to  the  buildings  or  the 
instruction  given  in  them  is  sometimes  claimed  by 
graduates.  The  influence  of  an  attractive  campus 
extends  through  life  and  affects,  in  a  marked  de- 
gree, the  homes  built  by  the  alumni.  It  is  im- 
portant, therefore,  to  have  schools  that  care  for 
children  during  the  impressionable  age  from  five  to 
fifteen  well  equipped  with  beautiful  surroundings. 
Their  influence  would  extend  to  the  homes  of  the  par- 


278  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

ents  as  well  as  to  those   the  children  might  build 
in  future  years. 

It  may  be  said  that  children  will  destroy  anything 
that  is  planted.  This  is  one  reason  for  planting 
school  grounds  so  that  youth  may  be  taught  to 
respect  and  admire  their  plant  neighbors.  Inci- 
dentally, certain  flowers  and  portions  of  plants  might 
be  used  with  great  advantage  by  the  teacher  in  giv- 
ing instruction  in  botany,  not  in  classes,  but  in 
general  talks  that  would  interest  and  give  recrea- 
tion. Such  short  talks  on  natural  objects  or  phe- 
nomena which  pupils  can  observe  for  themselves 
are  often  restful,  because  they  introduce  variety 
and  give  instruction  that  can  be  "soaked  in"  by 
the  students  without  apparent  effort  or  respon- 
sibility on  their  part. 

IN  CITIES 

It  would  be  well  if  many  of  the  features  of  coun- 
try schools  could  be  retained  in  the  city.  The  school 
in  the  city  should  have  ample  grounds  and  should 
continue  to  be  a  neighborhood  center.  There 
should  be  space  for  play  and  for  trees  without  shut- 
ting out  light.  Perhaps  the  play  might  be  con- 
centrated more  than  in  the  country  by  using  swings, 


SCHOOL  GROUNDS  279 

slides,  and  other  apparatus,  but  even  then  there 
should  be  abundant  room  for  gardens,  borders  of 
shrubs,  skating,  and  coasting.  If  school  grounds 
could  be  planned  in  advance  before  the  property 
needed  is  covered  with  expensive  buildings,  they 
could  be  developed  with  far  greater  economy  than 
under  present  methods.  Since  school-houses  have 
often  been  erected  in  cities  on  small  sites  allowing 
no  room  for  outdoor  exercise,  it  has  fallen  to  the  lot 
of  various  public-spirited  bodies,  including  boards 
of  aldermen,  park  commissions  and  improvement 
associations,  to  supply  playgrounds.  This  causes 
much  duplication  of  effort  and  expenditure  of  time 
and  money  that  would  have  been  unnecessary 
with  the  exercise  of  wise  foresight. 

Now  that  city  planning  is  receiving  attention, 
perhaps  future  school  yards  will  become  adequate. 
In  general,  they  should  contain  all  the  features 
found  in  the  best  playgrounds.  There  should  be 
room  for  tennis,  baseball,  and  other  games,  for 
gymnastic  apparatus,  and  provision  for  swimming, 
space  for  trees  to  give  shade  and  make  the  grounds 
attractive,  and  there  should  be  shrubs  and  flowers. 
The  grounds  should  be  planned  so  that  portions 
of  them  could  be  flooded  in  winter  for  skating. 


280  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  space  allotted  for  a  school  ground  should  be 
sufficient  for  a  combination  of  what  is  usually  found 
at  present  in  a  typical  school  yard,  playground,  and 
small  park.  The  cost  of  the  original  investment 
and  the  maintenance  of  such  a  combination  would 
be  much  less  than  that  of  separate  areas  under 
different  managements,  while  the  accommodation 
would  be  far  greater  for  play,  for  neighborhood 
gatherings,  and  for  everything  tending  to  unite 
and  improve  the  community  tributary  to  the  school. 
Such  an  institution,  providing  facilities  for  edu- 
cation and  recreation,  would  bring  together  teachers, 
children  and  parents  and  create  a  healthful,  stimu- 
lating neighborhood  spirit  that  is  now  generally 
lacking. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

ARBORETUMS  AND  BOTANIC  GARDENS 

THE  most  satisfactory  and  useful  planting  proj- 
ect in  the  United  States  is  the  Arnold  Arboretum  at 
Boston.  It  gathers  its  material  from  all  temperate 
regions.  It  issues  bulletins  regarding  not  only  the 
trees  and  shrubs  of  the  United  States  and  Canada 
but  also  those  that  are  available  from  different  parts 
of  Europe  and  Asia.  At  the  Arboretum  one  can 
actually  see  and  study  the  individual  trees  and  shrubs 
mentioned  in  the  bulletins  and  in  many  cases  study 
their  effects  in  groups  or  masses.  If  one  can  visit 
the  Arboretum  at  different  seasons  of  the  year,  one 
can  observe  the  winter  effects  of  branching,  the 
appearance  of  buds  and  leaves,  the  blossoms,  the 
•summer  foliage,  the  autumn  coloring  and  the  fruits 
of  hundreds  of  species  of  woody  growth. 

While  the  development  of  the  Arnold  Arboretum 
has  been  admirable,  it  is  seen  by  only  a  small  frac- 
tion of  those  who  should  learn  the  facts  which  it  can 

281 


282  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

teach,  a  small  part  even  of  those  who  are  interested 
in  landscape-gardening.  The  United  States  is  so 
vast  in  extent,  it  has  so  many  variations  of  soil  and 
climate  and  its  people  live  so  far  apart  that  it  should 
have  more  than  one  arboretum.  Other  experiment 
stations  and  government  plantations  in  various  sec- 
tions of  the  United  States  are  doing  good  work,  but 
more  arboretums  devoted  especially  to  planting 
material  suitable  for  landscape  work  are  greatly 
needed.  There  should  be  at  least  a  great  compre- 
hensive arboretum  for  the  central  northern  part  of 
the  United  States,  one  or  more  for  each  of  those  sec- 
tions known  as  the  Rocky  Mountain  region,  the  coast 
and  the  southern  states.  Even  with  arboretums  in 
the  localities  named,  these  should  be  supplemented 
by  plantations  at  universities,  especially  where  land- 
scape-gardening is  taught,  and  in  the  parks  of  the 
various  cities.  An  individual  who  wishes  to  develop 
beautiful  home  grounds  should  be  able  to  see  and 
become  acquainted  with  the  available  planting 
material  for  this  purpose  in  the  parks  of  any 
neighboring  city.  In  the  latter  especially,  one 
should  have  an  opportunity  of  judging  the  effects 
of  different  trees  and  shrubs  in  landscape  work. 
For  their  educational  value,  labels  giving  names, 


ARBORETUMS  AND   BOTANIC  GARDENS    283 

localities  and  dates  of  planting  would  be  very 
useful. 

In  an  arboretum,  the  space  allotted  to  each  plant 
or  group  of  plants  should  be  large  enough  to  allow 
full  development  for  each  individual  or  group  and 
also  open  surrounding  space  so  that  trees  and  shrubs 
can  be  seen  to  advantage  even  when  they  have  reached 
old  age  and  attained  their  greatest  size.  The  land 
selected  for  an  arboretum  should,  if  possible,  have 
a  varied  topography  with  slopes  to  the  north,  south, 
east  and  west  and  each  plant  should  be  placed  in  its 
most  appropriate  location  in  regard  to  slope,  soil, 
and  moisture.  For  example,  birches  and  hemlocks 
should  be  on  the  north  slope.  Most  trees  and  shrubs 
noted  for  their  blossoms  should  have  a  south  or  at 
least  a  sunny  exposure.  Some  trees  prefer  sand  or 
gravel  and  others  a  clay  soil. 

The  roads  and  walks  in  the  arboretum  should  be 
planned  with  easy  lines  and  grades  with  the  plants 
to  be  seen  from  them  so  placed  that  they  can  be  ob- 
served conveniently.  To  save  space  and  expense, 
there  should  be  comparatively  few  roads.  Those 
who  are  studying  plants  can  do  so  best  when  walking 
or  standing. 

Even  though  an  arboretum  is  primarily  a  museum, 


284  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

its  plans  should  be  influenced  by  a  desire  to  produce 
pleasing  landscape  effects.  A  hillside  showing  at 
different  seasons  the  flowers  of  sugar  maples,  June- 
berries,  red-buds,  dogwoods,  crab-apples  and  haw- 
thorns can  be  planted  so  as  to  show  beautiful  pic- 
tures as  well  as  the  characteristics  of  the  different 
plants.  Evergreens  can  be  planted  so  as  to  show 
the  characteristic  development  of  the  individuals 
with  branches  spreading  out  and  resting  upon  the 
ground  and  also  in  time. showing  the  group  and  trunk 
effects  as  seen  in  their  native  forests.  Community 
effects  with  trees  and  shrubs  that  grow  naturally  as 
neighbors  can  also  be  shown.  An  ideal  arboretum 
would  require  a  large  area,  but  as  it  is  for  the  benefit 
of  a  wide  section  of  country  the  necessary  space  should 
be  provided. 

An  arboretum  should  serve  not  only  for  the  study 
of  the  plants  it  contains  but  to  some  extent  at  least 
as  a  public  park.  It  should  have  beautiful  scenery 
with  hills  and  valleys  and  at  the  bottom  of  the  latter 
either  running  streams  or  reflections  from  smooth 
surfaces  of  water,  supplemented  by  open  glades  of 
lawn  or  meadow. 

It  will  be  advantageous  if  the  site  chosen  for  an 
arboretum  contains  some  native  forest  growth  with 


ARBORETUMS  AND  BOTANIC  GARDENS    285 

full-sized  trees  as  well  as  younger  ones  and  a  varied 
growth  of  small  trees  and  shrubs.  Such  a  forest 
with  plenty  of  adjacent  open  space  will  make 
a  good  background  for  various  plantations  and  will 
help  out  in  the  landscape  effects  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  paragraph.  It  will  also  illustrate  the 
variety,  gracefulness,  and  picturesqueness  of  nature 
and  this  will  tend  to  improve  the  character  of  the 
artificial  plantations.  It  cannot  too  frequently  be 
realized  that  nature  is  the  best  teacher  and  that  even 
in  the  museum-like  arboretum  she  can  give  points 
on  arrangement. 

The  arboretums  thus  far  discussed  have  been  of 
large  areas  intended  for  giving  pleasure  and  instruc- 
tion to  the  residents  of  many  states,  but  there  is  no 
reason  why  cities,  villages,  townships,  even  indi- 
vidual estates,  should  not  have  smaller  arboretums 
for  local  study.  Every  park  commission,  cemetery 
association,  or  body  having  charge  of  public  grounds 
of  any  kind  should  continually  make  collections 
and  try  experiments.  A  farmer's  family  could  ob- 
tain great  pleasure  by  experimenting  with  different 
ornamental  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers  as  well  as  those 
planted  primarily  for  fruit.  Such  collections  and 
experiments  wherever  land  is  devoted  to  tree  growth, 


286  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

although  not  as  comprehensive  as  those  connected 
with  great  arboretums,  will  nevertheless  be  seen  by 
many  persons  who  have  not  time  to  travel  far  from 
their  own  homes  and  will  lead  to  that  ideal  enjoy- 
ment in  life  that  accompanies  an  acquaintance  with 
the  beauties  of  nature. 

BOTANIC    GARDENS 

Supplementing  the  arboretums,  there  should  be 
botanic  gardens.  Such  gardens  exist  in  many  places. 
The  Kew  Gardens  at  London,  the  Jardin  des  Plantes 
at  Paris,  and  the  New  York  Botanic  Garden  in  the 
Bronx  may  be  mentioned  as  examples.  There  are 
many  smaller  gardens  and  these  should  be  even  more 
numerous  than  the  smaller  arboretums  that  have 
been  mentioned.  Many  schemes  might  be  followed 
in  designing  a  botanic  garden.  It  might  be  arranged 
to  show  the  native  flora,  each  plant  being  seen  in 
its  favorite  situation  as  to  soil,  shade,  and  moisture 
and  accompanied  by  its  usual  neighbors.  It  might 
be  planted  to  represent  all  hardy  herbaceous  plants, 
those  that  are  introduced  as  well  as  indigenous.  It 
might  be  arranged  with  regard  to  classification,  all 
the  leguminous  plants  being  in  one  locality,  all  with 
composite  flowers  in  another,  and  so  on.  There 


ARBORETUMS  AND   BOTANIC  GARDENS    287 

might  be  gardens  showing  the  sequence  of  bloom 
from  early  spring  to  late  fall.  A  comprehensive 
botanic  garden  should  contain  somewhere  a  collec- 
tion of  medicinal  plants,  of  plants  noted  for  their  per- 
fume, a  bog-garden,  and  plants  arranged  with  regard 
to  the  color  of  their  flowers. 

There  is  hardly  any  limit  to  the  number  of  ideas 
that  can  be  followed  in  designing  a  botanic  garden. 
No  artificial  scheme,  however,  can  be  quite  as  satis- 
factory to  the  botanist  as  nature's  own  garden  when 
left  undisturbed.  A  botanist  likes  to  go  to  an  un- 
frequented marsh,  or  a  bit  of  woods,  a  meadow,  the 
margin  of  a  lake,  or  a  hedge  row.  No  botanic  gar- 
den is  ever  more  interesting  than  the  more  or  less 
open  woods  on  the  back  end  of  a  farm,  containing 
perhaps  a  stream  supplemented  by  pools  of  water 
occupying  its  abandoned  channels  in  which  water- 
lilies  and  various  water  plants  are  growing ;  woods 
protecting  shade-loving  flowers ;  woods  filled  with 
openings  of  moist  soil,  where  many  kinds  of  ferns 
will  find  a  congenial  home ;  woods  including  sunny 
sandy  ridges  for  lupines,  puccoon,  spiderwort  and 
various  graceful  grasses;  woods  having  some  ever- 
greens and  larches  with  moist  partially  shaded  situ- 
ations beloved  by  lady-slippers  and  ladies'  tresses. 


288  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

Such  a  situation,  combining  tree  and  shrub  growth 
with  that  of  herbaceous  plants,  containing  an  abun- 
dance of  shade  and  sun,  leading  the  botanist  on  from 
one  interesting  plant  to  another,  keeping  him  more 
or  less  excited  over  the  prospect  of  making  new  dis- 
coveries, is  the  ideal  one  for  a  botanic  garden. 

Such  gardens  of  more  or  less  limited  extent  might 
exist  on  almost  every  farm,  or  even  in  the  home 
grounds  of  suburbs.  The  designer  of  a  large  public 
botanic  garden  should  certainly  be  influenced  in 
making  his  plans  by  a  recollection  of  the  favorite 
haunts  of  botany  students  and  collectors.  Public 
gardens  must  of  course  have  walks  for  visitors,  but 
they  might  be  surrounded  by  wooded  plantations 
which  would  give  a  charming  seclusion  and  protec- 
tion from  wind.  They  might  have  the  charm  of 
varied  outlines  and  variety  of  soils  and  situations 
to  suit  the  tastes  of  different  plants  and  combine  an 
artistic  arrangement  with  the  utilitarian  object  of 
affording  a  chance  for  study. 

There  would  be  some  advantage  in  combining 
a  botanic  garden,  arboretum,  and  forest  preserve, 
since  each  would  supplement  the  other.  The  back- 
ground of  a  forest  of  considerable  extent  would  give 
a  charm  to  both  the  arboretum  and  the  garden.  The 


ARBORETUMS  AND   BOTANIC  GARDENS       289 

former  might  be  irregular  in  outline.  Perhaps  it 
might  cover  a  series  of  ridges  or  hills  and  its  borders 
might  form  numerous  projections  and  bays  of  large 
extent,  giving  ideal  situations  for  additional  plants. 
Trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers  are  growing  together  in 
nature  and  it  is,  therefore,  fitting  that  they  should 
be  associated  in  plantations  made  by  man. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

CEMETERIES 

LTHE  cemeteries  of  the  present  day  that  are  located 
in  the  suburbs  of  large  cities  came  into  existence  from 
a  desire  to  have  burials  at  a  distance  from  the  centers 
of  population  and  in  places  with  beautiful  surround- 
ings.^ They  are  often  called  "rural  cemeteries." 
The  first  one  in  the  United  States  to  merit  this  name 
was  Mt.  Auburn,  near  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
founded  in  1831.  Since  then  the  idea  of  having 
burial  places  park-like  in  their  character  has  been 
spreading  until  they  contain  today  some  of  the  most 
beautiful  landscapes  developed  by  the  hand  of  man. 
The  wish  to  have  in  the  cemetery  the  beauty  of  trees, 
shrubs,  lawns,  and  flowers  has  gradually  led  to  the  ab- 
olition of  fences,  coping,  and  other  lot  inclosures,  and 
a  reduction  in  the  number  of  monuments  and  the  size 
of  headstones^)(Fig.  54).  Many  persons  now  believe 
that  the  last  resting-place  should  be  surrounded  by 

the  quietness  and  beauty  of  these  features  of  nature's 

290 


CEMETERIES 


291 


292  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

handiwork  without  distracting  stonework  or  artificial 
objects.  Others  say  that  "the  cemetery  should  be 
a  cemetery,"  meaning  by  this  that  it  should  resemble 
somewhat  closely  the  old  conventional  churchyard 
or  graveyard,  with  its  multitude  of  crowded  tomb- 
stones inscribed  with  the  good  qualities  of  those 
buried  within  its  walls. 

f  All  agree  that  the  cemetery  should  be  so  situated 
and  maintained  as  to  menace  in  no  way  the  health- 
fulness  of  surrounding  neighborhoods,  but,  as  con- 
ducted at  present,  no  areas  are  freer  from  contagion 
or  do  less  to  pollute  the  atmosphere  than  those  de- 
voted to  burials.  Cemeteries,  indeed,  rank  with 
parks  in  preserving  open  spaces  and  in  the  growth 
of  foliage  which  purifies  the  air.  The  ideal  location 
is  one  where  the  ground  is  somewhat  undulating  and 
thoroughly  drained  by  having  a  porous  subsoil,  while 
the  surface  soil  is  sufficiently  rich  and  deep  to  sup- 
port a  good  growth  of  vegetation.)  In  some  instances, 
as  at  Forest  Hills,  Boston,  and  at  Woodlawn,  New 
York,  it  has  been  necessary  to  blast  and  remove  rock 
and  then  fill  in  the  space  with  earth.  In  other  cases, 
the  natural  soil  has  been  so  poor  that  it  has  been 
necessary  to  cover  it  with  a  rich  earth  hauled  from 
a  long  distance.  In  still  other  cases  it  has  been 


CEMETERIES  293 

necessary  to  select  a  clay  soil  because  there  was  no 
other,  or  to  make  ground  by  excavating  lakes,  using 
the  material  excavated  to  raise  the  surrounding  land, 
or  to  inter  above  ground  in  structures  erected'  for 
the  purpose,  as  at  New  Orleans. 

C  SUBDIVISIONS,    WALKS,    AND    DRIVES    (Fig.    55) 

When  a  site  is  chosen,  it  is  usually  subdivided  into 
sections  and  lots,  which  must  be  made  accessible  by 
the  construction  of  drives  and  walks.  A  road  should 
pass  within  about  150  feet  of  every  lot.  The  width 
of  the  roadways  should  vary  according  to  the  size 
of  the  cemetery  and  the  probable  amount  of  driving. 
If  the  area  is  very  small,  a  drive  may  be  unnecessary. 
As  cemeteries  increase  in  size,  a  grass  walk  eight  feet 
in  width  may  answer  every  purpose,  using  this  when 
needed  as  a  drive ;  then  a  driveway  sixteen  feet  in 
width  may  be  required  in  a  somewhat  larger  area  so 
that  vehicles  can  pass  each  other ;  and,  finally,  a 
cemetery  designed  to  accommodate  large  populations 
should  have  good  roadways,  usually  twenty-four  feet 
in  width.  Formerly  these  roadways  would  have 
been  constructed  of  ordinary  macadam  or  gravel, 
but  with  the  increased  use  of  automobiles,  the  ma- 
terial used  for  roadways  should  be  bitulithic  con- 


294 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


CEMETERIES  295 

crete,  bitulithic  macadam,  cement  concrete,  or  brick, 
preference  being  given  to  the  first. 

(Walks  should  usually  be  left  in  grass  and  form  part 
of  a  continuous  lawn,  being  of  better  appearance  and 
more  easily  maintained  than  those  of  gravel.  The 
location  of  the  drives  will  determine  the  shapes  and 
sizes  of  the  sections,  the  ideal  size  being  from  250 
to  300  feet  in  width  and  700  or  800  feet  in  length. 
The  plan  should  be  made  after  a  careful  study  of 
the  ground  in  question,  the  drives  being  placed  so 
they  will  have  easy  grades,  command  good  views  and 
be  as  few  as  possible  when  spaced  approximately 
300  feet  apart.  When  the  ground  is  irregular  in 
shape,  undulating  or  hilly,  or  contains  streams  or 
lakes  or  valuable  trees,  these  features  may  make  it 
necessary  to  vary  somewhat  from  the  directions  just 
given.  After  the  general  scheme  has  been  studied 
out  in  connection  with  a  topographical  survey  of 
the  land  selected,  the  roads  can  be  staked  out  on  the 
ground  by  eye  with  better  effect  than  if  drawn  first 
in  an  office.  They  should  nearly  always  be  curved 
to  produce  the  most  pleasing  result,  a  curved  drive- 
way being  advisable  because:  (i)  when  the  margins 
are  properly  planted,  certain  portions  of  the  ground 
are  always  hidden,  thus  becoming  more  interesting ; 


296  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

(2)  they  insure  varied  effects  of  light  and  shade ; 

(3)  they  make  the  average  distance  from  the  ceme- 
tery entrance  to  the  lots  shorter  than  if  one  follows 
straight  lines  and  turns  right  angles,  j 

(^An  open  tract,  to  begin  with,  is  in  many  ways 
preferable  to  one  that  is  thickly  wooded,  but  groups 
of  trees  or  single  specimens  that  have  broadened  out 
in  a  natural  way  would  be  very  valuable,  since  they 
would  help  to  take  away  the  naked,  forbidding  ap- 
pearance of  land  newly  planted  with  young  trees. 
On  a  vacant  area,  it  is  usually  advisable  to  plant 
some  large  trees  for  the  sake  of  immediate  effect. 
These  can  be  grouped  about  the  entrance,  a  fork  in 
the  drives,  the  top  of  a  hill,  the  margin  of  a  lake,  or 
other  distinguishing  position.  The  objection  to  a 
piece  of  land  covered  with  thick  woods  is  that  the 
necessary  thinning  to  secure  sufficient  open  space  will 
leave  tall  spindling  trees,  unused  to  exposure.  These 
are  not  very  attractive  in  themselves,  are  very  likely 
to  die,  and  are  liable  to  be  blown  down.  If  there  are 
thick  woods  in  the  land  selected,  the  trees  chosen  to 
remain  should  be  those  that  are  healthiest  and'  have 
the  lowest  branches.  Occasionally,  the  trees  removed 
may  be  cut  off  at  the  ground  so  that  sprouts  will  spring 
from  the  roots  and  form  beautiful  bush-like  specimens,  j 


CEMETERIES  297 

BUILDINGS    AND    PLANTING 

/The  necessary  buildings  will  vary  with  the  size 
of  the  cemetery,  but  they  should  always  be  modest 
in  appearance  and  suitably  embellished  with  shrub- 
bery and  vines.  The  office  would  naturally  be  placed 
near  the  entrance  to  avoid  unnecessary  walking,  but 
it  should  not  be  built  immediately  on  the  highway 
or  public  street  (Fig.  56).  The  large  stone  or  brick 
arch  frequently  over  the  gateway  is  usually  too 
pretentious  in  appearance  and  not  in  keeping  with 
the  character  of  the  grounds.  A  natural  archway 
of  living  trees  would  be  better.  The  chapel,  if  any, 
should  be  placed  some  distance  within  the  grounds 
to  give  it  greater  seclusion  and  quietness. 

Whether  there  should  be  greenhouses  or  not  is  a 
question  that  should  be  answered  in  accordance  with 
local  conditions./  It  may  merely  be  said  that  with 
the  great  variety  of  flowering  trees  and  shrubs  avail- 
able, as  well  as  the  thousands  of  hardy  flowering 
herbaceous  plants,  most  beautiful  effects  can  be 
produced  without  the  expense,  the  continual  labor 
and  the  bare  beds  for  more  than  half  the  year,  which 
go  with  the  construction  of  greenhouses  and  the  use 
of  bedding  plants.  Frequently,  many  of  the  trees, 


298 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


CEMETERIES  299 

shrubs,  and  herbaceous  plants  needed  may  be  found 


in  the  adjacent  country.  1  Thus,  elms,  maples,  lin- 
dens, viburnums,  and  dogwoods  may  be  moved  from 
the  edges  of  farm  wood-lots  and  produce  almost 
immediately  an  effect  of  age  and  beauty.  To  pre- 
vent intrusion,  a  fence  along  the  boundary  of  a 
cemetery  is  necessary.  This  can  be  of  wire  hidden 
by  a  belt  of  trees  and  shrubbery,  or  it  can  be  a  sub- 
stantial wall  (Fig.  57). 

No  one  would  now  make  the  cemetery  dreary  by 
confining  the  planting  to  spruces  and  weeping  willows. 
On  the  contrary,  every  effort  is  devoted  to  securing 
bright  cheerful  effects  by  the  selection  of  all  kinds 
of  flowering  happy-looking  plants.  (  The  modern 
cemetery  becomes,  in  fact,  a  sort  of  arboretum. 
It  includes  some  evergreens  which  are  most  suitably 
grouped  along  the  boundary  belt,  and  which  should 
contain  all  kinds  of  hardy  pines,  as  well  as  some  of 
the  more  stiff  and  formal  spruces  and  cedars,  j  The 
planting  of  Norway  spruces  has  in  many  places  been 
overdone.  The  development  of  attractive  landscapes 
in  cemeteries  is  of  so  much  importance  that  Mr. 
Strauch,  the  greatest  cemetery  designer  whom  we 
have  had,  used  to  call  the  present  method  "the 
landscape  lawn  plan." 


3°° 


LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 


CEMETERIES  301 


f: 


c 


RULES    FOR    MAINTAINING    CEMETERIES 

A  landscape  in  the  cemetery  should  improve  with 
years  of  growth.  It  must  first  be  intelligently  de- 
signed, and  then  receive  care  and  attention  from 
someone  familiar  and  in  sympathy  with  the  scheme 
adopted.  To  insure  such  attention,  and  to  protect 
the  interest  of  all  lot-owners,  as  well  as  to  maintain 
the  dignity  and  character  of  a  city  of  the  dead,  rules 
have  been  adopted  by  all  leading  cemeteries.  These 
are  the  result  of  study  and  experience  on  the  part 
of  many  men.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Association  of 
American  Cemetery  Superintendents,  held  at  Boston, 
in  1890,  the  following  rules  were  recommended  by  a 
unanimous  vote  of  those  in  attendance  : 

RULE  I.  (This  should  be  a  general  rule,  stating  the  author- 
ity and  conditions  on  which  lots  are  sold  and  the  restrictions 
on  transfers.  The  rule,  of  course,  would  have  to  be  varied 
according  to  conditions  existing  in  each  cemetery.) 
,  RULE  2.  The  trustees  desire  to  leave  the  improvement  of 
lots,  as  far  as  possible,  to  the  taste  of  the  owners ;  but,  in  jus- 
tice to  all,  they  reserve  the  right,  given  them  by  law,  to  exclude 
or  remove  from  any  lot  any  headstone,  monument  or  other 
structure,  tree,  plant,  or  other  object  whatever  which  may 
conflict  with  the  regulations,  or  which  they  shall  consider  in- 
jurious to  the  general  appearance  of  the  grounds ;  but  no  trees 
growing  within  any  lot  shall  be  removed  or  trimmed  without 
the  consent  of  the  trustees. 


302  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

{  RULE  3.  Lot-owners  may  have  planting  or  other  work  done 
on  their  lots  at  their  expense,  upon  application  to  the  superin- 
tendent. No  workmen  other  than  employees  of  the  cemetery 
will  be  admitted  to  the  cemetery  except  for  the  purpose  of  setting 
stonework. 

RULE  4.  No  iron  or  wire-work  and  no  seats  or  vases  will 
be  allowed  on  lots,  excepting  by  permission  of  the  trustees, 
and  when  any  article  made  of  iron  begins  to  rust  the  same  shall 
be  removed  from  the  cemetery. 

RULE  5.  The  trustees  desire  to  encourage  the  planting  of 
trees  and  shrubbery,  but,  in  order  to  protect  the  rights  of  all 
and  to  secure  the  best  general  results,  they  require  that  such 
planting  shall  be  done  only  in  accordance  with  the  directions 
of  the  superintendent  of  the  cemetery. 

RULE  6.  No  coping  nor  any  kind  of  inclosure  will  be  per- 
mitted. The  boundaries  of  lots  will  be  marked  by  corner- 
stones, which  will  be  set  by  the  cemetery,  at  the  expense 
of  the  lot-owner,  with  the  centers  upon  the  lines  bounding  the 
lot.  Corner-stones  must  not  project  above  the  ground  and 
must  not  be  altered  nor  removed. 

RULE  7.  No  lots  shall  be  filled  above  the  established 
grade. 

RULE  8.  All  interments  in  lots  shall  be  restricted  to  the 
members  of  the  family  or  relations  of  the  lot-owner. 

RULE  9.  No  disinterment  will  be  allowed  without  the  per- 
mission of  the  trustees,  of  the  lot-owner,  and  of  the  next  of  kin 
of  the  deceased. 

RULE  10.  Mounds  over  graves  should  be  kept  low,  not 
exceeding  four  inches  in  height;  and  stone  or  other  inclosures 
around  graves  will  not  be  allowed. 

RULE  ii.  Foundations  for  all  monuments,  headstones,  and 
the  like,  shall  be  built  by  the  cemetery  at  the  expense  of  the 
lot-owner  and  fifteen  days'  notice  must  be  given  for  the  build- 


CEMETERIES  303 

ing  of  foundations.  The  cost  of  the  same  must  be  paid  in  ad- 
vance. 

RULE  12.  Every  foundation  must  be  at  least  as  wide  and 
as  long  as  the  base  stone  resting  upon  it,  and  must  not  project 
above  the  surface  of  the  ground.  All  foundations  must  ex- 
tend as  low  as  the  bottom  of  the  grave. 

RULE  13.  Only  one  monument  will  be  permitted  on  a 
family  burial-lot. 

RULE  14.  (This  should  be  a  rule  limiting  the  height  of  the 
headstones,  and  the  lower  this  limit  is  made  the  better.  Even 
with  the  lawn  is  considered  best.) 

RULE  15.  All  stone  and  marble  works,  monuments  and 
headstones,  must  be  accepted  by  the  superintendent  as  being 
in  conformity  with  the  foregoing  rules  before  being  taken  into 
the  cemetery. 

RULE  16.  No  monument,  headstone  or  coping,  and  no 
portion  of  any  vault  above  ground  shall  be  constructed  of  other 
material  than  cut  stone  or  real  bronze.  No  artificial  material 
will  be  permitted. 

RULE  17.  The  trustees  wish,  as  far  as  possible,  to  dis- 
courage the  building  of  vaults,  believing,  with  the  best  landscape- 
gardeners  of  the  day,  that  they  are  generally  injurious  to  the 
appearance  of  the  grounds,  and,  unless  constructed  with  great 
care,  are  apt  to  leak  and  are  liable  to  rapid  decay,  and  in  course 
of  time  to  become  unsightly  ruins.  Therefore  no  vaults  will 
be  permitted  to  be  built  unless  the  designs  for  the  same  are  ex- 
ceptionally good,  and  the  construction  is  solid  and  thorough. 
The  designs  must  be  submitted  to  the  trustees,  and  will  not  be 
approved  unless  the  structure  would,  in  their  judgment,  be  an 
architectural  ornament  to  the  cemetery. 

RULE  1 8.  Material  for.  stone  or  marble  work  will  not  be 
allowed  to  remain  in  the  cemetery  longer  than  shall  be  strictly 
necessary,  and  refuse  or  unused  material  must  be  removed  as 


304  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

soon  as  the  work  is  completed.  In  case  of  neglect,  such  removal 
will  be  made  by  the  cemetery  at  the  expense  of  the  lot-owner  and 
contractor,  who  shall  be  severally  responsible.  No  material 
of  any  kind  will  be  received  at  the  cemetery  after  12  o'clock  M. 
on  Saturdays. 

RULE  .19.  The  trustees  shall  have  the  right  to  make  ex- 
ceptions from  the  foregoing  rules  in  favor  of  designs  which  they 
consider  exceptionally  artistic  and  ornamental,  and  such  ex- 
ceptions shall  not  be  construed  as  a  rescission  of  any  rule. 

RULE  20.  It  shall  be  the  duty  and  right  of  the  trustees 
from  time  to  time  to  lay  out  and  alter  such  avenues  and  walks, 
and  to  make  such  rules  and  regulations  for  the  government  of 
the  grounds  as  they  may  deem  requisite  and  proper  and  calcu- 
lated to  secure  and  promote  the  general  object  of  the  cemetery. 

RULE  21.  The  superintendent  is  directed  to  enforce  the 
above  regulations  and  to  exclude  from  the  cemetery  any  person 
willfully  violating  the  same.  l>) 

xCemeteries  should  be  established  on  a  basis  to 
enable  those  in  authority  to  take  uniform  care  of 
the  grounds  for  all  time.  The  prices  charged  for 
lots  should  be  high  enough  to  enable  a  fund  to  be 
set  aside  that  will  yield  an  annual  income  sufficient 
to  pay  all  necessary  general  expenses.  In  laying 
out  a  new  cemetery,  those  in  charge  should  seek  the 
best  advice  available.  Such  advice  should  be  based 
on  a  thorough  knowledge  of  landscape-gardening 
and  the  special  needs  of  burial-grounds^  Much  in- 
formation can  be  obtained  by  visiting  Spring  Grove, 
at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  generally  recognized  as  the 


CEMETERIES 


305 


JTIG>  58.  —  THE  NOBILITY  OF  TREES  AND  BACKGROUND.     A  tomb  with 
satisfactory  setting,  and  simple  in  all  its  details. 


3o6  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

pioneer  of  park-like  cemeteries,  and  perhaps  the 
best  example  in  the  world.  Oakwoods  Cemetery 
at  Troy,  New  York,  Swan  Point  at  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  and  Forest  Hills  at  Boston  are  prom- 
inent examples  of  landscape  cemeteries.  Graceland 
at  Chicago,  although  smaller  in  area  than  those  al- 
ready mentioned,  contains  some  good  landscape 
effects.  Many  other  cemeteries  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  large  cities  of  the  United  States  can  be  commended 
on  account  of  the  good  taste  displayed  in  them. 
There  are  others  which,  while  containing  many  beau- 
tiful trees  and  expensive  monuments,  include  also 
many  fences,  railings,  copings,  and  hedges  that  serve 
as  examples  of  what  to  avoid  rather  than  to  imitate. 
The  leading  cemeteries  should  keep  pace  with 
the  best  thought  of  the  times,  with  the  best  theories 
of  religion,  science,  and  economics.  They  should  be, 
as  the  name  implies,  sleeping-places/ places  of  rest 
and  freedom  from  intrusion.  It  seems  natural  that 
one  should  seek  for  such  a  place  the  very  best  pro- 
duction of  landscape-art,  where  spreading  lawns  give 
a  cheerful  sunny  effect ;  where  pleasing  vistas  show 
distant  clouds  or  the  setting  sun  ;  where  branching  trees 
give  grateful  shade  (Fig.  58),  furnish  pleasing  objects 
to  look  at,  and  places  for  birds  to  come  each  year  and 


CEMETERIES  307 

sing  again  their  welcome  songs  ;  where  blossoming 
shrubs  delight  the  eye,  perfume  the  air,  and  make 
attractive  nesting-places.  Such  features  may  seem 
to  exist  more  for  the  living  than  for  the  dead,  but 
the  living  are  the  ones  that  need  them.  If  it  seems 
natural  to  choose  a  beautiful  park  for  a  sleeping-place, 
it  seems  incongruous  to  put  into  this  picture  obelisk 
after  obelisk,  stone  posts  and  slabs  of  all  shapes  and 
sizes,  and  stone  tombs. 

(The  problem  presented  to  cemetery  associations 
is  how  to  secure  the  most  pleasing  combinations  of 
growing  plants,  including  trees,  shrubs,  flowers,  and 
grass,  the  most  satisfactory  views,  the  most  har- 
monious and  restful  park,  for  the  cemetery  is  really 
a  memorial  park.  ) 

COUNTRY    CEMETERIES 

Often  a  country  cemetery  has  a  most  forlorn  and 
neglected  appearance,  being  merely  a  combination 
of  monuments  and  headstones,  uncut  grass,  Irish 
junipers  and  spruces.  This  appearance  is  not  due 
so  much  to  lack  of  money  as  to  sparsity  of  ideas. 
The  cost  of  the  monuments  shows  there  has  been 
money  to  spend,  but  there  has  not  been  an  appreci- 
ation of  beauty.  In  one  neglected  country  cemetery, 


308  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

a  beautiful  ground-covering  of  a  little  euphorbia  had 
killed  out  the  grass.  It  was  far  better-looking  than 
the  uncut  grass-covered  areas,  yet  a  farmer  regretted 
its  existence.  Other  areas  were  covered  with  myrtle 
(Vinca  minor)  and  were  always  green  and  beautiful. 
Where  it  is  not  feasible  to  mow  and  water  grass,  the 
selection  of  various  ground-covering  plants,  like 
those  named,  would  serve  well  in  its  place.  Par- 
tridge-berry, trailing  juniper,  bugle,  Japanese  spurge, 
lily-of-the-valley,  two-leaved  Solomon's  seal,  butter- 
and-eggs,  wild  violets,  erythroniums,  hepaticas,  and 
many  other  plants,  serve  well  for  a  ground  cover, 
some  thriving  in  shade  and  others  in  the  sun 

(Fig.  59)- 

With  the  growth  of  an  appreciation  of  beautiful 
landscapes  and  planting  effects  in  connection  with 
homes,  school  grounds  and  highways,  it  is  but  natural 
that  there  should  develop  a  country  cemetery  far 
more  beautiful  than  any  seen  at  present. 


CEMETERIES 


309 


FIG.  59.  —  THE  GARDEN  IN  THE  CEMETERY.     Tulips  under  an  oak. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
CITY  AND  REGIONAL  PLANNING 

A  NEW  line  of  endeavor  has  appeared  in  the  United 
States  in  recent  years,  known  usually  as  city  planning, 
but  sometimes  as  city  and  regional  planning.  It  has 
been  undertaken  by  landscape-designers,  architects, 
and  engineers  working  individually  or  in  conjunction. 
"Zoning"  is  intimately  connected  with  city  planning, 
but  may  be  applied  to  cities  that  have  already  been 
planned  and  built  or  built  without  planning.  Nearly 
all  American  cities  have  just  grown  by  "additions." 
These  have  usually  been  planned  in  surveyors'  offices 
without  any  consideration  of  the  topography.  A 
ravine  or  a  hill  has  been  divided  into  lots  as  though 
it  were  level  ground. 

If  it  is  worth  while  to  plan  a  house,  spending  much 
time  in  studying  the  arrangement  of  the  rooms,  the 
location  and  size  of  windows  and  other  details,  and 
the  fitting  of  the  house  to  its  proposed  site,  or  to 
plan  a  school-house  or  a  factory,  it  is  certainly  worth 

310 


CITY  AND   REGIONAL   PLANNING        311 

while  to  spend  much  time  in  planning  a  city  which 
will  contain  perhaps  thousands  of  buildings  and  which 
will  outlast  a  long  series  of  structures  erected  upon 
the  same  site.  The  city  plan  should  be  studied  with 
reference  to  the  hills  and  valleys  when  these  are  found 
within  its  boundaries  ;  with  regard  to  the  location 
of  factories,  warehouses,  shops,  residences,  apart- 
ment buildings,  offices,  stores  and  public  buildings, 
allowing  room  for  the  probable  growth  in  each  class 
of  buildings  ;  studying  it  with  reference  to  its  con- 
nection with  the  surrounding  country  by  means  of 
the  various  highways,  and  also  with  reference  to 
those  localities  not  especially  adapted  to  any  of  the 
purposes  named,  but  very  useful  as  parks,  open 
spaces,  forests,  water  views  and  glimpses  into  the 
open  spaces  outside  of  the  city.  Intelligent  study 
with  reference  to  the  locations  of  the  different 
classes  of  buildings  and  the  streets  and  parks  would 
have  saved  vast  sums  in  construction  and  main- 
tenance, and,  what  is  of  even  more  importance, 
would  have  preserved  and  developed  the  beauty 
of  cities.  The  fundamental  beauty  of  a  city,  which 
depends  on  its  arrangement  of  streets  and  its  preser- 
vation of  hills,  valleys,  streams,  rivers,  and  lakes 
in  all  their  natural  loveliness,  lasts  for  generations. 


3i2  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  citizens  of  a  city  that  is  wisely  planned  for  the 
preservation  and  development  of  its  beauty  do  not 
leave  it  to  go  to  other  more  attractive  cities  when 
they  have  acquired  a  competence.  When  they 
travel,  no  matter  how  far,  they  come  back  with  the 
feeling  that  they  are  glad  to  get  home.  A  common 
remark  on  such  occasions  is,  "This  city  looks  good  to 
me.  I  am  willing  to  live  and  die  right  here." 

It  is  this  feeling  of  pride  in  one's  own  town  or 
neighborhood,  a  feeling,  that  one  is  identified  with  it, 
is,  in  fact,  a  part  of  it,  and,,  in  a  measure,  responsible 
for  it,  that  is  important.  This  feeling  of  identifica- 
tion with  one's  surroundings  should  extend  from 
the  city  to  the  country  and  from  the  country  to  the 
city;  a  farmer  thinking  of  the  neighboring  town  as 
being,  to  a  certain  extent,  his,  and  the  dweller  in 
the  city  having  a  corresponding  feeling  with  regard 
to  the  country.  Each  should  try  to  help  the  other. 

The  city  planner,  therefore,  should  take  into  con- 
sideration the  mutual  dependence  of  the  city  and 
country  on  each  other  and  design  a  territory  imme- 
diately outside  of  the  city  limits.  This  has  long  been 
the  custom  in  England,  where  planning  commissions 
have  control  of  the  location  of  new  streets  far  be- 
yond city  boundaries. 


CITY  AND   REGIONAL  PLANNING        313 

When  city  planning  was  first  discussed  in  America, 
the  subject  most  frequently  mentioned  was  "civic 
centers."  By  this  was  meant  an  orderly  convenient 
arrangement  of  the  post-office,  city-hall,  court-house, 
and  other  public  buildings  with  regard  to  each  other 
and  to  the  remainder  of  the  city,  of  which  the  group 
named  would  form  the  heart  or  center. 

Usually,  however,  American  cities  that  have  re- 
ceived treatment  at  the  hands  of  city  planners  are 
already  blessed  with  city-halls  and  the  other  public 
buildings  naturally  associated  with  civic  centers. 
To  make  changes  regarding  them  would  be  very  ex- 
pensive, and,  usually,  even  if  such  changes  are 
deemed  advisable,  they  can  be  made  as  well  at  some 
future  time.  In  the  outskirts  of  a  city,  however, 
where  it  is  growing,  the  need  for  wise  planning  is 
urgent,  since  delay  here  may  prevent  forever  the 
adoption  of  the  best  locations  for  streets  or  the  best 
regulations  for  the  development  of  the  land.  It  is 
here  that  there  may  still  be  a  chance  to  save  a 
stream,  a  wooded  hillside,  an  Indian  mound,  or  other 
historic  or  natural  feature.  It  is  here  that  the 
change  in  the  location  of  a  street  may  save  expense 
in  construction  and  forever  add  to  the  beauty  and 
convenience  of  the  lots  on  either  side.  It  is  here 


3 14  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

that  suitable  areas  may  be  saved  for  residences, 
factories,  school-houses,  parks,  churches,  and  all  the 
different  classes  of  buildings  or  spaces  that  will  be 
required  in  the  city. 

While  city  planning,  which  takes  into  account  the 
probable  growth  of  a  city,  the  requirements  of  all 
its  different  kinds  of  business  and  residences,  its 
schools  and  other  public  buildings,  its  parks  and 
playgrounds  and  its  connection  with  the  country 
and  other  cities,  is  comparatively  new  in  this  coun- 
try, landscape-gardeners  have  long  been  called  on 
to  plan  suburbs  or  villages,  or  special  areas,  called 
subdivisions  or  allotments. 

Clifton  and  Walnut  Hills  of  Cincinnati,  and  Lake 
Forest  and  Riverside  near  Chicago,  may  be  cited 
as  examples.  The  planning  of  such  areas  has  usually 
been  primarily  for  residences,  although,  sometimes, 
sites  for  school-houses  and  churches  have  been  desig- 
nated. Those  qualifications  which  would  fit  a  man 
for  planning  intelligently  home  grounds  would  nat- 
urally qualify  him  for  laying  out  a  collection  of  such 
grounds.  It  is  in  the  outskirts  of  a  town,  the  places 
where  homes  are  being  developed,  that  the  services 
of  a  landscape-gardener  are  especially  needed. 

The  steps  to  be  taken  in  planning  a  subdivision 


CITY  AND   REGIONAL   PLANNING        315 

may  be  mentioned  in  the  order  in  which  they  should 
be  taken. 

(1)  A  visit  to  the  property  and  a  talk  with  its 
owner    and    the    city    authorities    regarding    proper 
sizes  of  lots,  width  of  streets,  probable  requirements 
for  school  grounds,   parks   and  other  public  needs. 
Some  cities  now  require  that  a  certain  percentage 
of  the  land  be  set  aside  for  parks  or  playgrounds. 
While  such  a  provision  is  better  than  none,  it  would 
not  always  result  in  choosing  land  that  is  best  adapted 
to  park  purposes. 

(2)  Assuming  that  the  general  problems  mentioned 
in  (i)  are  satisfactorily  settled  so  that  the  only  ques- 
tions  remaining  are  those  of  actually  planning  for 
streets  and  lots,  the  next  step  would  be  the  prepara- 
tion of  a  plat  based  on  a  topographical  survey.     Such 
a  plat  should  show  the  lie  of  the  land  by  contour  lines, 
the   contour   interval    depending   somewhat   on   the 
nature  of  the  land  and  the  character  of  the  proposed 
development.     Usually,  it  is  from  one  to  five  feet. 
The  contour  intervals  should  be  uniform  so  that  the 
contours  will  indicate  at  a  glance  the  relative  steep- 
ness of  the  surface  in  different  parts  of  the  property. 
They  would  show  at  once  the  location  of  ravines  and 
other  inequalities. 


3 1 6  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  plat  should  also  indicate  bodies  of  water, 
rock  ledges,  outlines  of  woods,  and  special  trees  or 
other  objects  which  can  be  determined  easily  and 
definitely.  With  such  a  plat  in  hand,  the  landscape- 
gardener  should  be  able  promptly  to  locate  his 
position  upon  it  while  studying  the  land  itself.  The 
topographical  plat  can  be  made  by  the  landscape- 
gardener  or  someone  from  his  office,  or  by  a  surveyor. 
In  making  the  survey,  the  stadia  method  is  the  most 
economical  and  the  best.  Dividing  the  land  up 
into  squares  with  stakes  at  the  corners  is  useful  for 
some  purposes,  but  generally  the  stakes  are  lost  so 
that  it  is  difficult,  without  going  over  the  work  of 
surveying  a  second  time,  to  find  one's  location  on  the 
property.  The  making  of  a  topographical  survey 
by  means  of  squares  is  slow  and  expensive.  It  is 
always  a  satisfaction,  when  looking  at  a  topograph- 
ical plat  and  seeing  some  special  object  like  a  big 
rock,  a  thirty-inch  sycamore  tree,  or  a  spring,  to  be 
able  to  look  on  the  land  itself  and  see  definitely  the 
object  indicated.  It  is  unsatisfactory  to  find  on 
the  plat  a  special  object,  like  a  twelve-inch  black 
oak,  and  discover  on  the  land  a  dozen  such  oaks  near 
the  location  designated,  any  one  of  which  might  be 
the  tree  that  had  been  surveyed.  Either  all  the 


CITY  AND   REGIONAL  PLANNING       317 

trees  should  be  indicated  as  accurately  as  possible, 
or  the  one  shown  must  be  so  distinct  from  the  others 
that  there  will  be  no  question  as  to  its  identity. 

(3)  With  the  topographical  plat  in  hand,  the  land- 
scape-gardener can  soon  decide  on  a  general  scheme 
of  subdivision  which   he  would  recommend  to  the 
owner  of  the  property,  and  this  can  be  sketched  on 
a  print  of  the  survey  and  then  discussed  with  all 
parties  interested. 

(4)  As  soon  as  the  plan  is  agreed  on,  either  as 
sketched,    or   with    such    modifications    as    may   be 
adopted,   it  is   advisable  actually  to  stake  out  the 
center  lines  of  proposed  streets  by  the  method  de- 
scribed under  Home  Grounds  (see  page  128).     The 
reason  for  staking  the  center  line  of  a  proposed  street 
upon  the  ground  before  definitely  drawing  it  on  a 
plat  is  that  by  so  doing  it  will  more  accurately  fit 
the  land  and  be  more  pleasing  in  its  curves.     A  curve 
drawn  on  a  plat  will  usually  appear  too  pronounced 
on  the  ground,  because,  in  the  latter  case,  it  will  in 
appearance    be    very    much    foreshortened.      Other 
reasons  for  staking  the  line  on  the  ground  first  are: 
(a)  The  valuable  trees  or  shrubs  may  be  saved  or 
left  in  such  positions  that  they  will  be  effective  with 
regard  to  the  proposed  street;  (b)  advantage  may 


3 1 8  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

be  taken  of  fine  views  which  would  not  be  appre- 
ciated when  merely  looking  at  a  plat ;  (c)  the  topog- 
raphy itself  will  be  better  appreciated  when  seen 
full  size  than  when  drawn  to  a  scale  which  must 
necessarily  be  small. 

(5)  With  the  center  lines  of  streets  staked  on  the 
land,  these  lines  can  be  surveyed  and  shown  accu- 
rately on   a   plat.      The   plat   should    indicate   the 
curved  lines  by  offsets  from  the  sides  of  a  polygon 
whose  angles  and  sides  lie  within  the  boundary  lines 
of  the  proposed  streets.     It  is  a  great  mistake  to  re- 
quire that  the  curves  shall  be  arcs  of  circles  as  in  the 
case   of    railroads.     Often    a    good    curve  has  been 
spoiled  by  attempting  to   make   it  fit  this  require- 
ment. 

(6)  With  streets  definitely  located,  the  next  step 
in  the  preparation  of  a  plat   is   the    subdivision   of 
the  property  into  lots.     If  the  land  is  vacant  and 
comparatively  level  and  featureless,  this  work  can 
be  done  in  an  office,  but  if  there  are  existing  trees, 
great  variation  of  surfaces,  rocky  ledges  or  attractive 
views,  it  is  advisable  actually  to  go  on  the  land,  select 
a  site  for  each  house,  putting  in  a  stake  at  what  would 
be   its   approximate   center,   and  then   locate   these 
stakes  and  put  them  on  the  plat.     This  method  will 


CITY  AND   REGIONAL   PLANNING        319 

enable  one  to  picture  in  his  mind  the  appearance  of 
the  land  when  occupied  by  houses.  He  will  know 
that  a  desirable  view,  as  seen  from  one  house,  will 
not  be  cut  off  by  the  construction  of  houses  on  other 
lots.  Planning  in  this  way  will  insure  for  the  future 
residents  of  the  subdivision  in  question  as  great  ad- 
vantages as  should  be  derived  by  all  the  dwellers  of 
a  city  from  careful  city  planning. 

(7)  Having  finally  made  a  plan  showing  streets 
and  lots,  with  locations  for  houses,  other  plats  can 
be  made  showing  pavements,  sidewalks,  profiles  of 
streets,  cross-sections,  methods  of  surface  drainage, 
and  location  of  planting.  In  staking  out  the  streets, 
the  designer  has  naturally  in  mind  the  grades  to  be 
adopted,  and  has  tested  these  by  means  of  a  hand 
level  to  ascertain  that  a  grade  within  the  adopted 
limits  is  feasible.  If  there  are  existing  trees  on  the 
land  that  is  being  studied,  these  will  be  taken  into 
consideration  in  preparing  a  planting  plan  and  also 
in  fixing  the  profiles  of  roadways.  Often,  by  chang- 
ing the  grade  of  a  roadway  slightly  from  that  which 
would  naturally  be  adopted  on  entirely  vacant  land, 
a  good  tree  standing  in  the  parkway  can  bef  saved, 
and  it  is  usually  possible  to  change  the  grade  without 
making  the  road  too  steep  or  the  profile  unpleasant. 


320  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

The  planting  plan  will  show  existing  growth,  espe- 
cially along  the  street  borders,  and  also  the  trees 
and  shrubs  that  are  to  be  planted.  With  large 
lots,  in  addition  to  showing  the  site  for  the  house, 
it  is  often  advisable  to  indicate  the  proper  location 
for  the  entrance  drive  and  the  garage  and  perhaps 
some  suggestion  of  the  arrangement  of  open  spaces 
about  the  house. 

The  chapters  on  plant  materials,  planting  arrange- 
ment, and  thoroughfares  contain  information  appli- 
cable to  the  planting  plans  for  subdivisions. 

The  cost  of  grading  and  making  other  improve- 
ments in  a  subdivision  planned  in  accordance  with 
the  directions  given  in  this  chapter  should  be  rela- 
tively small,  that  is,  much  less  than  by  ordinary 
methods,  while  the  beauty  of  an  area  developed  along 
the  natural  lines  described  would  give  pleasure  to 
generations  yet  to  come. 


APPENDIX 

Two  papers  by  the  late  Bryan  Lathrop  (1844-1916),  president  of  Graceland 
Cemetery  Co.,  trustee  of  estates  and  of  the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago, 
patron  of  literature  and  art,  president  of  the  Chicago  Orchestral  Associa- 


tion. 


321 


A  PLEA  FOR  LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

THE  intelligent  traveler  observes  one  very  striking  difference 
between  Europe  and  America. 

In  Europe  he  sees  almost  everywhere  evidences  of  a  sense  of 
beauty.  In  America,  almost  everywhere  he  is  struck  by  the 
want  of  it.  In  Europe,  and  in  Asia  too,  the  work  of  man  adds 
to  the  beauty  of  the  picturesqueness  of  scenery.  In  America,  it 
usually  makes  a  blot  upon  it.  I  do  not  conclude  from  this 
that  the  American  people  have  no  sense  of  beauty,  but  only 
that  in  the  mass  it  has  not  been  cultivated.  The  mass  is  igno- 
rant of  beauty.  In  this  new  country  of  ours  the  struggle  for 
existence  has  been  intense,  and  the  practical  side  of  life  has 
been  developed  while  the  aesthetic  side  has  lain  dormant. 

To  awaken  this  great  nation  to  a  love  of  the  beauties  of  na- 
ture is,  therefore,  a  mission  of  the  first  importance,  and  the 
time  is  ripe  for  the  work.  Signs  of  awakening  are  to  be  seen 
on  every  side,  but  much  depends  on  the  direction  to  be  given 
to  these  new  impulses  of  a  people  still  in  the  main  groping  in 
the  dark.  Where  shall  we  look  for  this  direction  ?  Obviously, 
I  think,  to  Landscape-Gardening. 

Landscape-Gardening  is  one  of  the  rarest  and  greatest  of  the 
fine  arts,  but  the  one  which  has  been  least  understood  or  appre- 
ciated. If  it  is  an  art  to  paint  a  landscape  on  a  small  canvas 
with  brushes  and  paints,  is  it  less  an  art  to  make  a  picture  on 
broad  acres,  using  for  material  God's  own  earth,  grass,  trees, 
shrubs,  and  flowers  ?  As  a  nation  we  have  yet  to  learn  that 
such  an  art  exists. 

323 


324  APPENDIX 

Only  last  year  when  I  suggested  taking  the  advice  of  a  highly 
trained  landscape-gardener,  one  of  the  most  intelligent  women 
of  my  acquaintance  asked  me  if  "anyone  could  not  plant  a 
tree?"  Any  one  can  build  a  house,  but  is  the  result  good 
architecture  ?  Any  one  can  apply  paint  to  a  canvas,  but  is 
the  result  a  pleasing  picture  ? 

Landscape-Gardening  is  not  only  one  of  the  noblest  of  .the 
fine  arts,  but  in. its  perfection  it  is  one  of  the  most  difficult. 

When  the  architect,' the  painter,  and  the  sculptor  have  done 
their  work  it  is  as  complete  and  perfect  as  the  artist  can  make 
it.  Not  so  with  the  landscape-gardener.  He  must  plant  with 
the  eye  of  a  prophet,  for  it  requires  many  years  to  bring  to 
perfection  the  picture  which  he  has  imagined.  He  must  know 
the  character  of  every  tree  and  shrub,  the  size,  shape,  and  color 
which  it  will  have  at  maturity. 

If  he  has  designed  his  landscape  with  prophetic  skill,  it  will 
grow  in  beauty  year  by  year,  intensifying  the  varieties  of  sur- 
face, creating  vistas  in  which  imagination  delights ;  the  masses 
of  trees  and  shrubs  will  have  assumed  pyramidal  form,  con- 
trasting or  harmonizing  each  with  the  other ;  and  the  nature 
foliage  will  have  acquired  that  exquisite  blending  of  tones 
which  is  the  despair  of  the  painter. 

The  ideal  landscape-gardener  should  have  a  vast  range  of 
knowledge.  He  must  be  a  botanist,  and  he  must  know  the 
nature,  the  habits  of  growth,  of  trees,  shrubs,  and  plants,  and 
those  which  are  adapted  to  each  region ;  he  should  know  the 
chemistry  of  horticulture,  and  the  nature  of  soils;  he  should 
be  an  engineer,  as  the  basis  of  his  work  is  the  grading  and 
shaping  of  the  earth's  surface ;  he  should  have  a  knowledge  of 
architecture,  as  his  work  will  often  make  or  mar  the  work  of 
the  architect;  and  finally  he  must  be  an  artist  to  the  tips  of  his 
fingers ;  the  more  artistic  he  is  the  better  landscape-gardener 
he  will  be. 


APPENDIX 


325 


His  life  is  devoted  to  a  reverent  and  loving  study  of  the 
most  beautiful  effects  of  nature  and  to  the  work  of  reproducing 
them  for  the  pleasure  of  man. 

My  conclusion,  then,  is  that  we  must  look  to  landscape- 
gardening  for  our  inspiration  in  the  new  gospel  of  natural 
beauty.  It  will  teach  us  how  a  background  of  trees  and  a  few 
vines  trained  by  loving  hands  will  transform  the  baldest  cottage 
into  a  charming  feature  of  a  landscape. 

The  wild  growth  along  a  country  roadsidd  may  be  as  lovely 
as  anything  painted  by  Rousseau.  I*et  us  teach  the  farmer 
to  see  its  beauty  and  to  leave  it  untouched. 

The  Women's  Clubs  have  undertaken  a  noble  work  in  teach- 
ing the  people  to  see  and  to  love  beautiful  things.  May  their 
efforts  be  crowned  with  success.  May  they  redeem  our  coun- 
try from  the  curse  of  bare  and  bald  ugliness  in  the  work  of 
man.  May  the  time  come  soon  wheJ  o/ur  streets  shall  be  lined 
with  trees  and  shrubs ;  when  front  yards,  and  back  yards  too, 
shall  be  softened  by  masses  of  flowering  shrubs ;  and  when 
the  farmhouses,  the  cottages,  and  the  factories  along  our  rail- 
ways shall  be  redeemed  by  spreading  trees  and  by  shrubbery 
and  creeping  vines ;  when  the  European  traveler  in  this  coun- 
try may  be  as  much  delighted  by  its  beauty  as  he  is  now  im- 
pressed by  its  prosperity. 

PARKS  AND   LANDSCAPE-GARDENING 

A  paper  read  at  the  Boston  meeting  of  the  American  Park  and  Outdoor  Art 

Association 

My  first  experience  as  a  park  commissioner  was  a  surprise 
and  a  shock. 

For  about  eight  years  Lincoln  Park  had  been  given  over  to 
the  politicians,  with  the  usual  result,  —  extravagance,  mis- 
management, neglect  and  decay.  The  new  board  of  com- 


326  APPENDIX 

missioners  was  pledged  to  the  reformation  of  abuses  and  the 
restoration  of  the  park.  Our  success  depended  upon  securing 
a  man  eminently  qualified  to  be  superintendent.  He  was  to 
take  the  place  once  filled  so  ably  by  Mr.  Pettigrew,  who  now 
has  charge  of  the  model  park  system  of  this  country.  We 
were  deluged  with  letters  recommending  for  superintendent  a 
very  estimable  gentleman,  a  retired  quartermaster  of  the  United 
States  army,  who  had  every  qualification  for  the  office  except 
one ;  he  knew  nothing  of  the  making  and  care  of  parks ;  noth- 
ing of  soils  and  fertilizers ;  of  artistic  grading ;  of  planting  and 
pruning ;  of  the  maintenance  of  lawns  ;  of  the  nature  and  habits 
of  trees  and  shrubs,  or  the  effect  of  time  on  their  form  and  color 
in  masses ;  in  short,  he  had  no  knowledge  of  even  the  rudi- 
mentary principles  of  landscape-gardening.  The  letters  of 
recommendation  came  from  presidents  of  railways  and  of  banks, 
and  leading  men  of  affairs  and  in  the  learned  professions ;  and 
in  all  these  letters  there  was  not  one  word  about  landscape- 
gardening  or  a  suggestion  that  any  knowledge  of  it  is  a  requisite 
in  the  management  of  parks. 

It  was  this  that  surprised  and  shocked  me. 

The  writers  of  them  are  fairly  representative  of  the  country 
at  large,  since  it  is  well  known  that  few  men  of  middle  age  in 
Chicago  were  born  or  brought  up  there.  Let  us  consider  for  a 
moment  what  a  park  should  be. 

The  true  function  of  a  park  is  to  afford  a  refuge  to  the  dwellers 
in  cities  where  they  may  escape  from  the  sights  and  sounds 
and  associations  of  the  city ;  where  the  eye  may  feast  on  the 
beauties  of  nature,  and  where  the  body  and  mind  may  relax 
and  find  repose.  Therefore,  beware  of  the  engineer,  the  archi- 
tect and  the  sculptor,  lest  their  work  usurp  undue  prominence 
and  interfere  with  the  true  function  of  the  park. 

To  erect  in  a  park  buildings,  bridges,  or  other  structures  which 
are  not  absolutely  essential,  or  to  make  them  more  conspicuous 


APPENDIX 


327 


than  is  unavoidable ;  to  multiply  statues ;  or  to  introduce 
unnecessary  formal  or  architectural  features,  is  to  defeat  the  first 
object  of  the  park,  to  bring  ruthlessly  before  the  mind  the  image 
of  the  city  from  which  one  has  sought  to  escape ;  it  is  a  blun- 
der, an  impertinence,  a  crime. 

A  park  then  should  consist  of  natural  objects,  turf,  water, 
trees  and  shrubs,  arranged  by  the  art  and  skill  of  man  so  as  to 
afford  the  greatest  possible  pleasure  and  enjoyment  to  the 
people,  with  no  artificial  objects  which  are  not  essential  to 
their  comfort  or  convenience. 

To  which  of  the  arts  does  this  work  belong  ?  Is  it  landscape- 
gardening  ?  This  brings  me  to  a  vital  question. 

Is  landscape-gardening  one  of  the  fine  arts,  or  is  it  only  a 
bi-product  of  the  arts,  unworthy  of  the  lifelong  devotion  of  a 
serious  mind  ? 

One  is  almost  forced  to  believe  that  its  professors  are  ashamed 
of  it.  Few  of  them  even  call  themselves  landscape-gardeners 
any  more,  but  "Landscape  Architects,"  and  latterly  I  have 
found  some  classified  simply  as  "Architects."  The  Oxford 
dictionary  defines  an  architect  as  "a  master  builder;  a  skilled 
professor  of  the  art  of  building,  whose  business  it  is  to  prepare 
the  plans  of  edifices,  and  exercise  a  general  superintendence 
over  the  course  of  their  erection."  I  would  not  quarrel  about 
the  name  unless  there  is  an  idea  behind  it.  I  fear  that  the 
name  is  only  one  of  many  indications  of  a  tendency  to  introduce 
into  landscape-gardening  a  formalism  based  on  architectural 
lines  and  principles  which,  if  not  checked,  will  very  soon  debase 
and  degrade  it.  Is  landscape-gardening  one  of  the  fine  arts  ? 

It  may  seem  presumption  in  a  layman  to  express  an  opinion 
on  this  subject ;  but  there  is  a  grain  of  truth  in  the  proverbial 
advantage  of  the  looker-on  at  a  game.  Ever  since  I  wandered 
as  a  lad  through  the  parks  and  gardens  of  Europe,  I  have  had 
a  love  for  landscape-gardening,  and  have  been  as  closely  in 


328  APPENDIX 

touch  with  it  as  a  layman  can  be.  I  believe  that  landscape- 
gardening  is  not  only  one  of  the  fine  arts,  but  that  it  is  one  of 
the  greatest  of  them,  and  that  it  has  possibilities  of  develop- 
ment of  which  the  others  are  absolutely  incapable. 

Landscape  art  —  which  includes  landscape  painting  and 
landscape  gardening  —  holds  a  unique  and  distinguished  posi- 
tion. It  is  the  only  one  of  the  arts  of  design  which  in  the  nine- 
teenth century  made  any  progress  beyond  the  achievements 
of  the  great  artistic  periods  of  history.  All  of  the  others  have 
distinctly  retrograded.  Sculpture  is  now  only  the  pale  shadow 
of  the  age  of  Pericles.  The  heroic  style  of  painting  which  deals 
with  religious,  historical,  and  ideal  subjects  has  produced  noth- 
ing within  a  hundred  years -which  ranks  with  the  work  of  the 
Italian  Renaissance. 

Architecture  as  a  creative  art  has  ceased  to  exist.  In  the 
place  of  the  mighty  builders  of  the  past  we  now  have  schools 
of  architecture  which  formulate  rules  based  on  their  work; 
and  the  best  architects  of  our  age  are  the  most  successful 
copyists.  When  an  attempt  is  made  to  depart  from  the  formu- 
las of  the  schools  we  have  such  "architectural  aberrations"  as 
"L'Art  Nouveau,"  of  Paris,  or  the  "Secession  Styl,"  of  Vienna. 

Landscape  painting,  however,  has  made  great  strides  in 
advance  of  Salvator  Rosa,  the  best  of  the  Italians,  and  of  the 
Poussins  and  Claude  Lorrain,  the  best  of  the  old  French  schools. 

Landscape  gardening  has  made  equal  progress  in  the  last 
century  and  is  even  more  in  advance  of  earlier  ages  than  the 
Barbizon  school  of  landscape  painting  is  in  advance  of  the 
Renaissance. 

I  believe  that  the  explanation  of  this  is  not  far  to  seek.  A 
love  of  nature  for  her  own  sake  is  distinctly  modern.  Even 
the  greatest  of  the  Renaissance  poets  show  less  feeling  than 
those  of  the  Victorian  age  for  the  charms  and  loveliness  of 
natural  scenery.  It  is  hardly  more  than  a  hundred  years  since 


APPENDIX 


329 


painters  first  began  to  see  nature  as  she  is  and  to  paint  land- 
scapes truthfully  and  without  artificial  features.  Until  modern 
times  landscape-gardening  was  modeled  exclusively  on  the  old 
formal  gardens  of  Italy.  The  terraces  which  were  required  on 
the  steep  sides  of  the  Italian  hills  were  transplanted  to  the 
plains  of  Versailles  and  to  the  gentle  slopes  of  England.  You 
all  know  the  famous  old  gardens  of  Italy  and  the  continent. 
You  remember  the  balustrades ;  the  paved  terraces ;  the 
straight  walks  between  clipped  hedges,  and  the  straight  avenues, 
ending  in  the  inevitable  bad  statue  or  silly  fountain;  the 
childish  surprises  of  objects  which  suddenly  cover  you  with 
spray.  If,  by  chance,  you  come  upon  a  charming  bit  of  turf, 
with  masses  of  flowering  shrubs  and  trees  not  in  lines  and  left 
to  grow  untrimmed,  you  are  told  —  it  may  be  in  Italian  or 
German  or  Spanish  or  French  —  that  this  is  the  "English 
Garden";  and  you  say  to  yourself,  "God  bless  it!"  There 
is  a  touch  of  nature  in  it. 

Now,  I  ask  you,  are  we  to  ignore  the  glorious  progress  of  the 
nineteenth  century  and  go  back  to  this  ?  Instead  of  striving 
to  carry  landscape-gardening  to  perfection  along  the  natural 
lines  on  which  it  has  made  its  greatest  growth,  are  we  deliber- 
ately to  give  up  all  that  the  world  has  gained,  and  go  back  for 
our  models  to  the  dark  ages  of  landscape-gardening  when  it  was 
wholly  artificial  and  unnatural,  ages  before  it  had  grown  to  be 
a  fine  art  ?  I  cannot  believe  it. 

Hence  I  deprecate  the  tendency  of  to-day  toward  a  stiff  and 
unlovely  formalism  in  landscape  design.  I  protest  against  it 
because  I  believe  that  it  will  lead  to  the  decadence  of  a  most 
glorious  art  which  it  would  reduce  to  the  condition  of  modern 
Italian  sculpture,  mere  technique  without  spirit,  a  body  with- 
out a  soul. 

If  you  think  that  I  exaggerate,  I  beg  you  to  look  over  one  of 
the  most  popular  of  recent  books  on  landscape-gardening,  — 


330  APPENDIX 

"Gardens  Old  and  New."  Turn  to  the  illustration  of  "formal 
gardens"  and  of  formal  designs;  look  at  them  with  a  thought 
in  your  minds  of  some  lovely  effects  of  planting  done  by  nature 
or  by  some  man  who  loved  her,  and  tell  yourselves  honestly 
what  you  think  of  the  new-old  art.  These  designs  were  made 
with  a  foot-rule,  a  straight-edge,  and  a  pair  of  compasses,  and 
might  have  been  made  by  an  architect,  for  in  his  legitimate 
profession  he  needs  no  other  tools. 

We  Americans  are  a  fickle  people  and  are  much  inclined  to 
change  our  fashions,  not  only  in  dress,  but  in  more  serious 
things.  It  is  this  desire  for  a  change  for  the  sake  of  a  change 
which  has  prevented  the  normal  development  of  architecture 
and  stunted  the  growth  of  every  style  in  its  early  youth ;  but 
we  are  also  quick  to  learn  and  quick  to  adopt  any  new  thing 
which  is  good.  The  love  of  the  beautiful  has  only  recently 
begun  to  develop  in  this  country  and  the  taste  of  the  people  is 
in  a  formative  state  and  they  are  just  beginning  to  realize  that 
such  an  art  as  landscape-gardening  exists.  The  architects  have 
done  much  to  improve  the  taste  of  the  dwellers  in  cities ;  but 
only  landscape-gardening  can  reach  the  great  mass  of  the 
nation  and  elevate  their  taste  by  teaching  them  to  appreciate 
the  charming  things  growing  wild  about  them,  and  ultimately 
to  appreciate  everything  that  is  beautiful  in  nature  and  art. 

A  heavy  responsibility  rests  on  the  leaders  in  landscape- 
gardening.  They  can  check  the  vagaries  and  inanities  which 
are  creeping  into  it,  and  which,  unchecked,  will  prove  its  ruin, 
and  will  have  a  far-reaching  effect  in  giving  the  nation  a  false 
and  perverted  taste.  They,  and  they  alone,  can  correct  its 
decadent  tendencies  and  maintain  the  standard  which  entitles 
it  to  rank  among  the  fine  arts,  and  which  will  lead  to  its  highest 
development. 

Michael  Angelo  gave  up  painting  in  oils  and  adopted  frescos 
and  architecture  because  they  gave  a  wider  scope  for  his  tre- 


APPENDIX  331 

mendous  energies.  I  sometimes  dream  that  another  Michael 
Angelo  will  rise  among  us  and  that  he  will  find  in  landscape- 
gardening  the  widest  scope  for  the  exercise  of  a  mighty  creative 
genius. 

In  this  young  country,  with  its  exuberant  energy,  its  increas- 
ing wealth,  and  the  development  of  good  taste  and  a  love  of  the 
beautiful,  the  opportunities  which  the  future  of  landscape- 
gardening  has  in  store  for  a  great  artistic  genius  seem  almost 
boundless.  With  vast  wealth  at  his  command,  and,  for  ma- 
terials, the  earth,  the  sky,  mountains,  lakes,  rivers,  waterfalls, 
forests  and  the  flora  of  the  whole  earth,  and  with  vistas  bounded 
by  the  limits  of  human  sight,  he  can  create  pictures  which  will 
be  to  natural  scenery  what  the  Hermes  at  Olympia  is  to  the 
natural  man,  not  copies,  but  the  assemblage  of  the  perfections 
of  nature,  beside  which  the  greatest  works  of  other  arts  will 
seem  as  small  as  the  oil  paintings  despised  by  Michael  Angelo 
beside  the  dome  of  St.  Peter's. 

If  landscape-gardening  remains  true  to  its  mission,  to  de- 
light the  eye  and  heart  of  man  by  reproducing  nature  at  her 
best,  this  I  believe  to  be  her  destiny,  and  then  architecture 
will  be  her  willing  handmaiden. 


INDEX 


Acidity,  43. 

Advertising,  39. 

Air  in  soil,  44. 

Altruism,  29. 

American  garden,  165. 

Appearances,  some  persons  indifferent 

to,  2. 
Arbore turns  : 

distribution  of,  285. 

more  needed,  282. 

open  space  in,  283. 

roads  and  walks  in,  283. 

some  native  forest  in,  desirable,  284. 

varied  topography,  283. 
Arboretums  and  Botanic  Gardens,  281. 
Architecture  and  landscape  gardening, 

IS- 

Arid  regions  favored  with  views,   187, 

188. 

Arnold  Arboretum,  281. 
Arnold  Arboretum,  oaks  in,  68. 
Arrangement  of  planting,  58. 
Art  expression,  19. 

in  architecture,  21. 

in  literature,  21. 

in  music,  20. 

in  painting  and  graphic  arts,  21,  22. 

in  sculpture,  20. 
Artificial  lakes,  106-108. 

bloom,  sequence  of ,  for  borders,  116, 
117. 

color  in  border  planting,  115. 

dams,  in. 

deposits  in,  no. 

fish  in,  112. 

islands  in,  116. 

location  for,  no. 

mosquitoes,  113. 

plants  appropriate  for  border,  113. 


Artificial  lakes — Cont. 
shaping  banks,  113. 
waterproofing,  112. 

Bacteria,  44. 

Bailey,  L.  H.,  quotation  from,  185. 

Balance,  n,  12. 

Beauty : 

destruction  of,  27. 

how  it  pays,  2,  22. 
Billboards,  23,  31,  33. 
Botanic  Gardens,  286. 

combined     with     arboretums     and 
forest  preserves,  288. 

Care  of  plant  materials,  78. 
Cemeteries,  290. 

advantages  of  curved  drives  in,  295. 

buildings  in,  297. 

care  of,  304. 

in  relation  to  health,  292. 

in  relation  to  open  tracts  and  wooded 

areas,  296. 
^  in  the  country,  307. 

planting  in,  299. 

roads  in,  293. 

rules  for,  301. 

subdivision  of,  293. 

walks  in,  295. 
Cemeteries    in    relation    to    progress, 

306- 
City  and  Regional  Planning,  310. 

importance  of,  310-312. 
City  Planning : 

civic  centers,  313. 

in  the  outskirts,  313. 

undertaken  by  landscape  designers, 

architects  and  engineers,  310. 
City  schools,  33. 


333 


334 


INDEX 


City  Squares,  253. 

planting  of,  254-256. 
City  Streets,  217. 
billboards,  221,  223. 
curved  and  angular  streets,  220. 
grouping  trees,  218. 
planting  space  in  center  of  street 

219. 
space  between  buildings  and  stree 

lines,  218. 

street  arrangement,  219,  220. 
views  from  city  into  country  along 

streets,  220. 

Collier,  Price,  quotation  from,  171. 
Coloring,  47,  49. 
Composition,  13. 
Country,  as  a  retreat,  23. 

definition,  i. 
Country  parks,  256. 
County  parks,  258. 
Croquet,  242. 
Cultivation,  80. 
Curiosity,  value  of,  13-15. 
Curved  roads,  advantages  of,  193,  194, 

Dams,    comparison    of    locations    for, 

101,  102. 

Dawson,  Jackson,  68. 
Distance,  obtaining  effect  of,  64. 
Drives,  132. 

combination  of  walk  and  drive,  134. 
diversion   from   direct   route   some- 
times allowable,  132. 
location,  132. 
planting  along,  to  control  view  of 

house,  134. 
staking  lines   of,  on   desired   grade, 

136-138. 
surface,  134. 
Dynamite,  44. 

Each  for  all,  29. 

Engineer  and  landscape  gardener,  103, 

104. 

Erosion,  27,  45,  93. 
Evergreens,  48,  49. 


Farm  buildings,  32. 
plan  for,  173. 

planting  in  connection  with,  173. 
Farm  forest,  176. 
Farmer,  22,  23. 
Farmhouse,  location  of,  171. 
Farm  life,  182,  183. 

importance  of  to  nation,  170,  171. 
Farm  orchard  and  other  features,  182, 
Farms,  32,  170. 

features  of,  that  are  beautiful,  181. 
Farm  tools,  33. 
Farm  wood-lot : 

advantages  of,  177,  178. 
need  not  be  rectangular,  179. 
original  forest  growth,  178. 
pasturing,  179. 
selecting  trees  for,  179. 
starting  with  seedlings,  180,  181. 
Ferns,  56. 
Fertilizers,  45. 
Flower  gardens,  153. 
Italian,  156. 
location  for,  155. 
subordinate  to  front  yard,  154. 
wild,  155. 
Flowers,  55,  56. 
?og,  65. 
7orests,  36. 
brests    along    streams,    management 

of,  95-97- 

?orests,  destruction  of,  26-29. 
brest  preserves,  250. 
and  timber,  252. 
care  of,  251. 

native  growth  important,  250,  251. 
roads  in,  252. 
'Forest  waters  the  Farm,"  quotation 

from,  36. 
'orking,  82. 
rountains,  87. 
Vont  yards : 
definition  of,  141. 
feeling  of  repose,  152. 
final  result,  150. 
flowers,  152. 
grading,  146-148. 


INDEX 


335 


Front  yards  — -  Cont. 

ground  covering,  143,  146,  148. 
joining   floor    of,    with    surrounding 

growth,  146. 

public,  in  relation  to,  152. 
removal  of  top  soil,  148. 
rock  ledges,  148. 
sky-lines,  142. 
small  yards,  153. 
sundial,  152. 

surrounding  growth  of  foliage,  143. 
trees  and  shrubs,  selection  of,   144, 

145- 

tying  house  to  site,  149. 
winter  effect,  143. 

Garages,  138. 

Gardens  (see  Flower  gardens) 

(see  Vegetable  gardens) 
Gardens,  56. 
Girdling  trees,  81. 
Glacial  action,  40. 
Golf  in  public  parks,  243. 
Golf: 

in  relation  to  forest  preserves,  270. 

in  relation  to  public  parks,  269. 

should  be  encouraged,  271. 
Golf  Grounds,  263. 

arrow  golf,  269. 

boundaries,  265. 

club-house,  in  relation  to,  264. 

farms,  in  relation  to,  268. 

may  contain  gardens,  268. 

may  often  contain  beautiful  scenery, 

263. 

Ground  covering,  43. 
Grounds     of     Railway     Stations     and 

Rights  of  Way,  224. 
Grouping,  66. 

Harmony,  13. 

Hawthorns  in  pasture,  180. 

Heaths,  42,  43. 

Hedges,  161. 

Herbaceous  Flowering  Plants,  55. 

Highways,  33. 

Hills,  emphasis  of,  58. 


Hillside  road,  199. 
Hillsides,  34. 

Hirst,  A.  R.,  State  Highway  Engineer 
of    Wisconsin,     statement    from, 

193- 

Hobbies,  34,  35,  155. 
Home  Grounds,  118. 

bearing  of  existing  trees  on   house 
location,  122. 

drives,  132. 

facing  house,  122. 

flower  gardens,  153. 

front  yards,  141. 

garages,  138. 

purposes  served  by,  119. 

selecting  site  for  house,  120. 

service  yards,  140. 

walks,  124. 
Homes,  34. 

House  (see  Home  Grounds) 
Houses  : 

location  of,  188. 

surroundings  of,  161. 
How  to  plant,  68. 

Ice,  39. 

Ice-houses,  27,  39. 
Imagination,  17. 
Irregularity,  charm  of,  59-61. 
Islands,  116. 

Japan,  flower  arrangement  in,  16. 

Lake  shores,  23. 

Lakes,  34  (see  Artificial  lakes). 

boat-houses,  105. 

ice-houses,  104. 

margins  of,  3 1 . 

natural,  wave  action  along  shores, 
107. 

summer  cottages,  105. 

vegetation  along  margins,  104. 

walls,  105,  106. 
Land,  40. 

composition  of,  40. 

elements  of,  42,  43. 

shape  of,  42. 


336 


INDEX 


Landscape,  a  moving  picture,  7. 
Landscape  architect,  the  term,  17. 
Landscape  composition,  rules   for,  8- 

15- 

Landscape,   creation  of,   may   require 

years,  7. 

Landscape  designer,  the  term,  18. 
Landscape  engineer,  the  term,  18. 
Landscape  features  treated  in  accord- 
ance with  local  conditions,  190. 
Landscape-gardener,   aims,  compensa- 
tion and  equipment,  24,  25. 
basis  of  success,  8. 
his   work    compared    with    that    of 

painter,  6,  7. 
Landscape-gardening : 
aims  of,  I. 

and  general  culture,  16. 
definitions,  3. 
for     arid     and     semi-arid    regions, 

I*5. 
given   special   impetus   about    1800, 

3- 

Landscape  painter,  power  of,  4. 
Landscaper,  the  term,  19. 
Leaves,  47,  49. 
as  mulch,  51. 
Lichens,  57. 
Lime,  42. 

Marshes,  84. 

insure  open  space,  84. 

marginal  growth  of,  85. 

three  ways  of  treating,  85. 
Mill-ponds,  31. 
Mosses,  57. 
Mount  Auburn,  290. 
Mystery,  value  of,  13-15. 

National  parks,  261. 

should    be    established    in    eastern 

states,  261,  262. 

Natural  resources,  destruction  of,  26. 
Natural  sciences,  16. 
Nature  appeals  to  various  senses,  16. 
Nature  as  teacher,  6,  42,  63. 
Nature,  universal  beauty  of,  2. 


Neighborhood  centers,  33. 
Nitrogen,  43. 

Orchards,  22. 

Paine,  Thomas,  quotation  from,  I. 
Painter,  landscape,  method  of  working, 

4- 

Palissy,  Edward,  quotation  from,  37. 
Pictures,  64. 

Park  commissions,  248-250. 
Parks,  232. 

as  a  place  of  rest,  233. 

boating  and  canoeing,  in  relation  to, 
246. 

bridle  paths,  in  relation  to,  245. 

buildings,  in  relation  to,  245,  246. 

drives  and  walks,  in  relation  to,  242. 

games,  in  relation  to,  242. 

give  opportunity  for  exercise,  237. 

golf,  in  relation  to,  243. 

how  made  accessible,  236,  237. 

in  relation  to  crowds,  244. 

intelligence  of  employees  in,  243. 

may  serve  as  arboretums,  247. 

purposes  served  by,  232. 

should  preserve  attractive  scenery, 

234>  235^ 

swimming,  in  relation  to,  246. 
Parks  and  native  forest,  240. 
Parks,  Forest  Preserves,  City  Squares, 

232. 
Parks,     gun     clubs,     natural     history 

societies  and  museums,  248. 
Parks    in    relation    to    country    and 

vicinity,  239. 
Park   work   should    be    done   on    the 

ground,  240. 
Planning  a  park,  237. 
Plant  materials,  46,  78. 
Planting  about  houses,  189. 
as  a  screen,  66,  67. 
bushes  and  herbs,  76. 
proper  season  for,  77. 
rules  for,  174-176. 
to  hold  land,  45. 
with  frozen  ball,  77. 


INDEX 


337 


Plants,  for  localities  destitute  of,  187. 

in  reference  to  seasons,  65. 

in  rows,  59. 

often  care  for  themselves,  78. 

selection  of,  45. 

"Plant  thick  and  thin  quick,"  63. 
Point  of  view,  9,  10. 
Practical  gardener,  powers  of,  3. 
Prairie  road,  211. 
Production,  39. 
Profiles  of  roads,  195. 
Protozoa,  44. 
Public  Thoroughfares,  192.. 

Railway  Rights  of  Way,  229. 

Ravines,  42. 

Repetition,  13. 

Repton,  quotation  from,  3. 

River  banks,  23. 

River  road,  206. 

Rivers,  34,  97. 

arrangement     of     buildings     along, 
98. 

as  sources  of  water  power,  101. 

in  cities,  97. 

refuse  on  banks  of,  97. 

street  bordering,  98-101. 
Road   (see  Hillside  road,  River  road, 

Prairie  road). 

Roadside  planting,  197,  198. 
Robinson,  Charles  Mulford,  reference 

to,  217. 
Rubbish,  31. 

Sand  blown  by  winds,  45. 
Sand  dunes,  40,  45. 
School  Grounds,  33,  273. 

as  neighborhood  centers,  276. 

in  cities,  278-280. 

in  the  country,  273. 

planting,  in  relation  to,  276-278. 
Sculpture,  42. 
Sculpture    and    landscape    gardening, 

15- 

Seedlings,  69. 
Seeds,  68. 
Service  yards,  140. 


Shade,  47. 
Shrubs,  50. 

as  a  border,  51-53. 

as  a  screen,  50-51. 

care  of,  51. 

grass  under,  51. 

trimming  of,  51,  80. 
Sky,  the  background  of  landscape,  6. 
Sky-line,  47,  65,  142,  178. 

in  winter,  143,  144. 
Smoke,  103,  222,  228,  254. 
Soil,  adaptation  of,  43. 
Space,  65. 
Spring   Grove    Cemetery,    Cincinnati, 

^04. 

Springs,  22,  86. 
State  parks,  260. 
Station  grounds  : 

convenience  of,  226. 

importance  of,  224. 

planting  of,  226. 
Station  grounds  and  railway  employees, 

228. 
Streams,  32,  34,  88. 

advisability  of  retaining  a  border  of 
forest  growth,  94. 

parkway  along  border  of,  89. 

pollution  of,  30. 

public  forests  along  borders,  95. 

usual  history  of,  near  cities,  90. 

walks  along  border  of,  91. 
Street  corners,  radius  of  curvature  for, 

195- 

Streets,  34. 

Subdivisions,  planning  of,  315. 

dividing  into  lots,  318. 

planting  plan,  320. 

saving  trees  and  shrubs,  317. 

staking  out  roads,  317. 

surveying  roads  as  staked,  318. 

topographical  plats,  316. 

Teaching  a  client,  151. 

Tennis,  242. 

Terms,  discussion  of,  17-19. 

Terraces,  159. 

Thoroughfares  and  section  lines,  193. 


33? 


INDEX 


Thoroughfares    important   in    appear- 
ance of  country,  192. 
Township  parks,  257. 
Trees,  47. 

anchoring  of,  75. 

beauty  of  when  young,  70. 

buttresses,  73,  74. 

care  of  newly  planted,  74. 

cutting  out,  64. 

for  sandy  land,  45. 

in  winter,  49. 

large,  plant  high,  73. 

often  planted  too  deep,  71. 

planting  large-sized,  72. 

planting  medium-sized,  70. 

rapidity  of  growth,  68,  69. 

surface  drainage,  74. 

topping,  81. 

trimming,  71-73,  80. 

Underbrush,  241. 
Unity,  8-1 1. 

Vegetable  gardens,  158. 

Vines,  effect  on  host,  55. 

ground  covering,  55. 


Walks,  124. 

ditches  along  side,  131. 

drainage,  126. 

grade  of,  125. 

how  to  locate,  124,  125. 

how  to  stake,  128. 

interruptions,  131. 

lawn  at  edge  of,  131,  132. 

profile,  129. 

steps,  125,  126. 

width  and  material,  126. 
Walks  and  paths,  196. 
Water,  84. 

Water  power,  37,  101,  103. 
Waterfalls,  38. 

scenic  value  of,  102. 
Watering,  74,  82,  83. 
Western  towns,    changes    that     have 

taken  place  in,  191. 
Wood-lots,  22,  32. 
Woods,  23,  28,  53,  157,  162. 

border  of,  63. 

Zoological  gardens,  247. 


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